The IFP said the issue of firearm licensing and purchasing needs to be addressed urgently amid the latest crime statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday.
THE IFP said the issue of firearm licensing and purchasing needs to be addressed urgently amid the latest crime statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday.
The IFP’s Zandile Majozi said the party was deeply concerned by the reported increase in murders.
In March, Cele had revealed that approximately 7,331 firearms and more than 10 million rounds of ammunition were stolen from the SAPS or lost over 10 years; only 5,170 firearms were recovered.
“6,424 people were murdered during the first quarter of this year, which is an increase of 664 people. The minister stated that the leading causes of murder are arguments and misunderstandings and that the leading weapon of choice is a firearm, with 2,766 people shot to death,” said Majozi.
She also said that the latest crime statistics clearly indicate that the SAPS is reactive, rather than proactive. She said the SAPS appears to be stuck in a pattern of continually reporting on crime statistics, yet there remains a glaring absence of reporting on action plans to address and eradicate these crimes.
She added that they believe not much has been done to protect women and children ‒ from April to June 2022, 855 women and 243 children were killed in South Africa. Nineteen of those children were murdered at schools, and urgent measures need be taken to ensure the safety of pupils.
“In relation to the alleged drop in reported rape cases, we view this statistic with caution. It is encouraging to see that there was a decrease in the reported rape cases. However, we are cognisant of the fact that, overall, South Africa is still a dangerous country for women and the reported rape statistics are still incredibly high.
“What is especially alarming is that 1,564 of these reported rape cases happened in public spaces. Could this have been prevented? What safety measures are available in public spaces, and how can they be extended?” she said.
Moreover, she stressed that the country needs less reporting and more practical programmes of action that deliver results, particularly when it comes to the security and safety of South African citizens.
Cele on Friday delivered an update of the crime statistics covering April 1 to June 2022. He said sexual violence, which covers rape, sexual assault, attempted sexual offences and contact sexual offences, had decreased.
“This means there was a drop of over 800 cases of sexual offences that are far more often perpetrated on women. Between April and June this year, 286 rapists were convicted through investigative work done by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit. Out of the 286 rape convictions, 46 of the rapists were sentenced to life behind bars. While the majority of rapes do take place behind closed doors and are hard to police, we are confident that it is through the FCS detective work that is preventing more rapes, hence the decrease in rape cases during the reporting period,” Cele said.
The minister said 6,424 people have been killed in the first quarter of the 2022/23 financial year.
Cele said this is an increase of 664 more people murdered compared with the same period last year, when the country was placed under Covid-19 lockdown levels one and two.
Cele commended provincial commissioners for the significant reduction in a number of priority crimes during this reporting period.
“We further encourage all provincial commissioners to continue to increase their efforts in crime prevention and crime-combating operations. Most importantly, community policing partnerships and expanding the eyes and ears of law enforcement on the ground must be intensified. We also encourage South Africans to work with the police and provide information that can assist in police investigations. Police at station level are also directed to continue to improve the quality of service provided to the communities they serve and protect,” he said.
