South Africa’s murder rate is up 1.8 percent, according to the country’s crime stats 2016/17 released on Tuesday.
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula led the delegation of senior SA Police Service personnel in a presentation on the stats to Parliament’s portfolio committee on police. He indicated contact crimes were down 2.4 percent.
Presenting the figures, Major General Norman Sekhukhune, head of police crime research and statistics, said attempted murder was up 0.4 percent, aggravated robbery increased by 6.4 percent. Assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm was up 6.7 percent, while common assault was up 5.2 percent.
Sexual offences is down 4.3 percent, while common robbery is down 1.3 percent.
Mbalula, whose deputy Bongani Mkongi could not make it to the briefing as his nephew was stabbed to death in Gugulethu in Cape Town, said: “We have ministers in this Parliament and ordinary citizens who have buried their children due to violent crime…we have to ask ourselves if we have accepted to live side by side with criminals … Our answer must be an emphatic no.”
Mbalula, said the "chop and change" in leadership of policing has affected the focus and direction of police. He said a lot needs to be done to improve the service from police and that although the overall crime rate has dropped by 1.8 percent people on the ground do not feel it.
He added that the department must focus at the top-heavy structure at the SAPS head office. - ANA
