Concern over cop crime statistics

Nathi Nhleko that Phiyega be investigated for her part in the issuing of statements in her defence relating to the findings of the Marikana Commission of Inquiry.

She also faces a board of inquiry based on the recommendations of Judge Ian Farlam in his report on Marikana, as well as an investigation into her tipping off of Western Cape commissioner Arno Lamoer about a probe into his alleged links with a Cape Town drug dealer.

Police management also briefed the committee on a plan to deal with the huge backlog of 603 000 case dockets.

Katlehong police station alone had 500 unresolved murder cases, Brigadier Leon Rabie told the committee.

Analysis of crime figures for Gauteng police stations showed those with the highest case loads tended to be close to one another, which would make it easier to intervene as in many cases the perpetrators were likely to be the same.

But stations like Midrand, Diepsloot and Linden had detection rates of under 20 percent, compared to a national target of 40 percent, he said.

Breaking down the crime figures by category also showed that while the overall trend in Gauteng was downward, some crimes were on the increase, including contact crime.

And while crime rates were declining in some parts, it was increasing elsewhere.

Brigadier Craig Mitchell outlined an operational plan to improve investigations, which would be co- ordinated by Lieutenant- General Bonang Mgwenya, the former chief operations officer sidelined by Phiyega.

Intervention teams from national level would focus on under-performing police stations identified by the analysis, he said.