Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Crezane Bosch MPL.
The safety of Gauteng residents is under serious threat as the province remains the capital of serious crimes. The crime statistics released today for the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year have revealed that Gauteng is one of the major contributors to serious crimes in South Africa between April and June.
The report states that Gauteng had the highest contribution to contact crimes in the country with 26.3%. Out of the top 30 police stations where incidents were reported, 11 were located in Gauteng.
The report also indicated that despite the 7.3% decrease in murder rate, Gauteng was the second highest contributor of murder at 22.3%, with 30 of the top police stations from Gauteng. The primary causes of murder in the province include arguments, misunderstandings, road rage, provocation, and robbery.
Rape cases are also reported to have increased by 11 (0.6%) cases from 1 910 in the first quarter of 2023 to 1 921 in the first quarter of 2024. Gauteng contributed 20.6% in rape cases, which was the highest in the country. The staggering revelation is that in 10 of the top 30 police stations where the cases were reported, 10 came from Gauteng. It is worrying that most rape incidents in the province occurred in the residences of the perpetrator or victim (825), followed by public places (370).
The report also revealed that the safety of Gauteng motorists is under attack, with Gauteng being the highest contributor nationally at a staggering 47.9% during the period under review. This is more than three times higher than the contribution of the second-highest contributor, the Western Cape, which stands at 16.1%.
The number of reported kidnappings increased from 2,068 in the first quarter of 2023 to 2,237 in the first quarter of 2024, marking an 8.2% increase. Overall, Gauteng accounted for 53.2% of the national total, which was the highest percentage in the country. 24 of the top 30 police stations with cases of hijacking were located in Gauteng.
The fact that Gauteng continues to be the hub of serious crimes raises questions about the crime prevention measures put in place in our province. Gauteng residents deserve a government that walks the talk on crime and not only makes crime an apex priority on paper while lacking clear plans to tackle it.
Premier Panyaza Lesufi asserts that his crime prevention measures are effectively safeguarding Gauteng residents. However, the first quarterly crime statistics paint a different picture, suggesting a lack of resolve and strategic approach to combating crime in our province.
This is precisely why the Democratic Alliance (DA) remains opposed to the Government of Provincial Unity’s decision to relocate the Department of Community Safety to the Office of the Premier. Rather than centralising power in the office of a Premier barely managing to run Gauteng, the current government should appoint a capable MEC to lead the fight against crime.
The DA government would review the current crime prevention strategy to assess why it is not bearing a positive impact. We wouldn’t focus on advanced technology that isn’t effectively combating the rise of serious crimes in our province. But instead, rescue Gauteng from the grip of crime by getting the basics right. This includes cutting the red tape to fix our vehicles, filling the vacancies, and providing proper training and development for our police. We will also ensure that our police stations are adequately equipped with necessary resources, such as vehicles, personnel, and a proper working environment, to assist in crime prevention.
The DA would achieve this by creating a collaborative plan to engage with communities, civil society, and other stakeholders to develop a safer Gauteng, where hope replaces fear and opportunity supersedes insecurity.