SAPS crime report

By Tando Mfengwana
28 September 2006

The South African Police Service yesterday released its annual crime statistics report.

The statistics showed that murder has not had any significant decline with only about two percent decrease of reported cases.

Rape showed a decrease of 1 percent and indecent assault by 3.7 percent. These crimes remain a cause for concern said the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.

Assistant Police Commissioner Dr Chris de Kock said that if SAPS did not achieve a seven per cent decrease this year, this does not mean they can’t do it at all.

Attempted murder showed a considerable decline of 16.6 percent, with common robbery decreasing by 6.2 percent, assault by 15.6 percent and serious and violent assault decreased by 9.6 percent. SAPS said that it is satisfied with the figures.

Government set out a target of seven to ten per cent decrease in serious and violent crimes for SAPS to achieve. This will be reviewed again in 2009.

The Democratic Alliance’s chief whip Diane Kohler Bernard said that South Africans should be very worried as there is no significant improvement, and that the ANC is nowhere near achieving the seven percent it set out to reduce crime.

Kohler Bernard said that “frankly nothing will improve in this country until such time as we fire the minister”.