The second-quarter crime statistics released yesterday show that across the City of Johannesburg, levels of serious and violent crime remain far too high.
Just yesterday, a scholar transport driver was tragically shot and killed outside Suidheuwels Primary School in South Hills, Johannesburg. This tragedy occurred while the bus was filled with scholars, who luckily were unharmed. This incident has been confirmed as being gang related. However, this is no new occurrence. This past Saturday, two people were shot and killed near Montanus Primary School also in Johannesburg South.
According to these latest crime statistics Honeydew and Sandton police stations experience among the highest number of community-reported serious crimes in South Africa.
This begs the question: If the national South African Police Service is not preventing and investigating crime in Johannesburg, what is the Metro Police doing about it? While it focuses on revenue generation through fines and fees collected from road users, it seems that the Joburg Metro Police is not plugging the gaps left by the SAPS. How much exactly does the metro police cost the city? We demand to know, and it’s time we see public safety returns on this.
In 2025, the eyes of the world will be on Johannesburg, amid the G20 summit. World leaders will descend on the City and expect to be safe. While we are sure that the utmost will be done to ensure their safety, the same is not being done to protect the residents of Johannesburg every day.
It is for these reasons that the DA urges the MMC for Public Safety in the City, Cllr Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, to account for how the Metro Police will collaborate better with the SAPS and the Provincial Government, to prevent, combat and investigate these shockingly high levels of crime.
The people of Johannesburg expect their law enforcement agencies to uphold and enforce the law without fear, favour, or prejudice. More so, they deserve to feel safe in their communities.