City logs number of worrying calls of assault, over the weekend

The City of Cape Town has raised concern about the number of calls its  Public Emergency Communication Centre received this past weekend.

Of the 1 995 calls recorded during the past weekend, 822 were medical related, which include a staggering 154 assault cases. Call agents also dealt with 66 domestic violence cases, 52 motor vehicle and 20 pedestrian vehicle accidents.

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Mayoral Committee Member for Safety & Security, JP Smith, says this is the highest number of assault cases logged in the past month of which 16 were gunshot related.

‘’The number of assault cases recorded by our Public Emergency Communication Centre is worrying. Although we expect an increase of assault cases during month-end weekends, the steep increase should be noted and is a concern. It's an indication of the level of violence in communities often triggered by alcohol abuse, gender based violence and lack of respect. This behaviour often spills over to more serious crimes, such as driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding and theft.’’

‘’We also note the increase in domestic violence cases which has an extremely negative effect on households, especially those with innocent children. Our officers can only act if they are informed about these cases and we request residents to report any incident that poses a threat to families and the community,’’ added Smith.

 

Done by: Alungile Njemla