Police slammed for crime stats

A RISE in murder and armed robbery showed police were not getting a grip on violent crime despite a budget that had been increased by almost 50% since 2011/12 to R87 billion, the Institute for Security Studies said in response to the latest crime statistics.

The National Development Plan called it a “crisis of top management” in the SAPS, while President Jacob Zuma’s rule had resulted in a profound deterioration in policing and caused a notable decline in public safety, the institute said.

The murder rate has increased 13.3% in the past five years following a 55% decrease in the first 18 years of democracy since 1994.

Armed robbery increased by 8 429 cases to 140 956 (up 6.4%). More than half of all reported armed robberies are street robberies with 79 878 recorded in the 12 months under review.

Armed attacks on people's homes have increased by 1 523 reported incidents to 22 343 incidents (up 7.3%). There were 982 more armed attacks on businesses, up 5% to 20 680.

Hijacking of cars is up 77.5% in the past five years and up 14.5% in the year under review. There are now 46 cars hijacked a day in South Africa, more than half (52%) of them in Gauteng.

The institute said it recognised the bold efforts of many competent police officers, but that the root of the crime and policing crises was Zuma’s failure to appoint a highly experienced person of integrity, as the SAPS national commissioner.

The institute said police urgently needed to improve their capability to investigate crime.

“This requires police to earn the trust of communities, as indicated by the most recent Victims of Crime Survey. The annual SAPS crime statistics released on Tuesday (yesterday) cover the period April 2016 to March 2017, and are not a reflection of the past seven months in South Africa,” it said. – Staff Reporter