Johannesburg - The DA says it is concerned about the increase in violent crimes in Gauteng.
This comes after Minister of Police Bheki Cele presented quarter 3 crime statistics in Parliament this past week.
The latest statistics revealed that the war on crime is out of hand, with increases in contact crime, which is up from 46 221 to 50 039, community-reported forms of crime, which are up from 107 815 to 115 478, and rape-related crimes, which moved from 2 356 to 2 471 from the previous quarter.
DA Gauteng shadow MEC for Community Safety Crezane Bosch said the bulk of these crimes have left Gauteng residents living in fear and being prey to criminals, with Alexandra and Johannesburg Central police stations at the centre of most crimes reported in the province.
“The two police stations where contact crimes were reported are Johannesburg Central police station and Alexandra police station.
“This increase in crime in our province is very concerning considering the increase in shootings that we have seen in areas like Eldorado Park, Reiger Park and Westbury,” Bosch said.
Following the death of Eldorado Park anti-crime activist Ayob Mungalee, the DA said it was deeply concerned about the increase in gangsterism and gun violence in the area.
Mungalee, who was the national director of the movement People Seeking Justice Action Group, was gunned down in the area last week. He was vocal about issues of drug use and gangsterism in the area.
“Gangsterism is rife in these communities, and earlier this week a community leader and activist were killed. The DA has already successfully lobbied for an inquiry to be held into the shootings and increase in gangsterism in Eldorado Park, Reiger Park and Westbury,” Bosch added.
Bosch said the DA recently introduced the Community Oversight Bill, which seeks to give the MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, more oversight powers than the police.
“The bill will also ensure that all our police stations have the necessary resources needed for crime intelligence gathering and to fight crime in the areas where they are based,” Bosch said.
The Star