Cape Town crime statistics released

By Rhodé Marshall
4 July 2007

Minister for community safety in the Western Cape Leonard Ramatlakane, released the crime statistics of the Western Cape on Wednesday.

Although the department says there has been a promising decrease of 4, 3% in contact crime which include: murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery, rape, assault and indecent assault.

There has been a significant increase in the murder rates of 4.8%, as more murders are committed in Nyanga than anywhere else in the country.

“There is no “quick fix” for dealing with the problem as we are dealing with social ills in the community”, says Ramatlakane.

Ramatlakane added that when he took over the department there seemed to have been a problem between the police and the community working together. "Plans were then put in place to fight the problem between police and communities” says Ramatlakane.

Meanwhile another issue plagued in the city is the problem of taxi violence. “Taxis’ are shooting one another on almost all the streets of the city", says south african police service deputy provincial commisioner, Mfazi.

Mfazi added that a plan has been set up to provide cops, involve operations and monitor the taxi ranks.