I will write to the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety to inquire whether there are any plans to address the spate of crimes against women in Springs in Ekurhuleni. I will ask whether there are sufficient visible policing patrols and what the police to population ratio is for the Springs area.
Following the mysterious death of an Eskom employee, Thembisile Yende, the autopsy report has revealed that Yende suffered bruises on her neck. This suggests that she may have been strangled to death and points to yet another act of femicide.
One man and four women are due to appear in the Springs Magistrate’s Court today following their having been charged with human trafficking. The alleged perpetrators were arrested after the police raided a brothel in Springs.
A woman, who endured her second gang-rape in Springs, has come to the fore stating that the justice system is failing her. Her alleged perpetrators have been released while the investigation commences.
These instances are only a few examples of the ongoing crimes against women. It seems that local police are unable to meet the need in fighting and preventing crime in Springs.
Criminals believe that they are free to commit lewd acts of crime against women because they fear no recourse. We encourage community members to report crimes to local police officials as they play a crucial role in the fight against crime. However, it is only through adequate policing by means of patrols, visible policing and sufficiently manned stations, that we will see a real decrease in crime.
The shortage of police resources in Gauteng is having a marked impact on women in the Springs community. The DA wants answers from the Gauteng Government as to what it plans to do to address these crimes.