Increase in crime threatens the safety of Gauteng residents

Gauteng residents continue to live without much safety, as revealed in the recently released 2022/23 fourth quarterly report crime statistics, which show a distressing increase in various crime categories.

The statistics presented yesterday by Gauteng Police Commissioner, General Elias Mawela, expose the Provincial Government’s failure to effectively address the crime epidemic and ensure the safety and security of its residents.

The statistics show an increase of 2.6% in robberies at residential premises in Gauteng. This rise in home invasions and attacks on innocent citizens is unacceptable and reflects a lack of proactive measures by the Department of Community Safety to protect its residents.

A further 2.6% increase in carjacking cases was recorded, with the West Rand region ranking the highest in the province with a 44.4% increase.

The DA is highly concerned by the rise in kidnapping cases which have experienced a 17.1% increase. Every kidnapping incident is a horrifying ordeal for the victims and their families. The safety and well-being of residents, particularly women and children, are paramount.

A shocking 20.2% increase in burglary cases for non-residential premises demonstrates the inability of the provincial government to protect businesses and commercial spaces in Gauteng. These crimes not only cause financial losses but also hamper economic growth and job creation.

The reported increase of 5.6% in other serious crimes is extremely troubling and indicative of a systemic failure in law enforcement and crime prevention measures.

Sadly, yet again, the crime stats failed to include crimes against farm owners. Farm attacks significantly impact multiple levels, including individuals, families, communities, and the agricultural sector. The recently released 2022 Afriforum Farm Murder report revealed that Gauteng recorded the highest number of farm attacks in the country, accounting for 28% of the total.

The DA will continue to highlight how crime impacts Gauteng farmers.

As the DA, we express our highest condemnation over these statistics. Much more needs to be done to ensure the safety of Gauteng residents.

This can only be done through the DA’s Community Safety Bill, ensuring a proper advisory committee tackles crime throughout the province.

Resident’s safety at risk: at least 17 people murdered per day in Gauteng

There has been an alarming 10.9% increase in murder cases in Gauteng.

Murder cases have increased by 153 from 1403 in the last year’s fourth quarter to 1556 in the fourth quarter of the 2022/23 financial year.

These crime stats are from January to March 2023, which is 93 days and means that approximately 17 people are murdered per day in Gauteng. This shows that our government is failing losing the war against crime.

Johannesburg Central Police Station is ranked the highest in terms of contact crimes nationally, from 988 in the fourth quarter of the 2021/2022 financial year to 1054 in the fourth quarter of the 2022/23 financial year. Therefore, there is an urgent need for support and resources to equip the SAPS to fight crime.

According to the fourth quarter crime statistics of the 2022/23 financial year, the following police stations have reported increases in rape, murder, and community reported serious cases:

Police stations  

Fourth quarter of the 2021/22 financial year

 

Fourth quarter of the 2022/23 financial year

Tembisa Police Station 27 rape cases 62 rape cases
Orange Farm Police Station 36 murder cases 48 murder cases
Johannesburg Central Police Station 2021 community reported serious cases 2231 community reported serious cases

 

Even though there is a decrease in hijackings, Gauteng police stations are leading the top 30 worst performing stations nationally.

Furthermore, robberies, carjackings, kidnapping, and cash in transit crimes affect Gauteng residents because there are no specialised units to deal with certain specific crimes in the province.

The only solution to curb crime and ensure Gauteng residents’ safety is to adopt the DA’s Community Safety Oversight Bill, which will make a provision for an appropriate advisory committee which will provide a tangible plan on how to tackle crime in the province.

Furthermore, the newly trained safety wardens should be proactive and assist the police in fighting crime in high crime hotspots areas.

Lesufi’s inexperienced crime bust unit ill-equipped to fight crime

The Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s newly launched crime bust unit is ill-equipped and inexperienced to fight crime in the province.

The 4000 safety wardens are part of the crime bust unit which has only received basic training which is not adequate to tackle serious crimes.

Crime prevention needs proper crime intelligence, which is crucial in identifying crime hotspots, however, there is still a challenge in terms of crime intelligence in the province. The Gauteng Department for Community Safety and Security still has a vacancy rate of 79% for crime prevention services.

Premier Lesufi has also mentioned that these safety wardens will work in the 40 worst-performing police stations in the province, yet there is no proper data in terms of the needs and priorities of these police stations so that the resources can be allocated accordingly.

Gauteng should learn from the DA-led Western Cape Law Enforcement Plan (LEAP) programme which has been successful in preventing crime in conjunction with the SAPS.

The DA has tabled questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to ascertain whether the national regulatory processes were followed in launching the crime bust unit.

This is because the City of Cape Town had to undergo strict regulatory processes before launching the LEAP Programme. If Gauteng did not follow the same processes, Lesufi’s programme needs to be stopped until it complies with the national legislation. We can’t afford to have wardens on the streets that do not comply with the regulations because they will become a danger to the lives of Gauteng residents.

This is a clear indication that Lesufi is making promises as he goes along and changes it at a whim, which shows that he has no idea what is needed and that he is merely politicking with people’s lives. This is not a way to address crime. The DA’s Community Safety Oversight Bill makes provision for a proper advisory committee and it is high time that the bill is approved to get experts involved to address crime.

DA demands a manhunt be launched to find suspects responsible for the murder of two Soweto boys

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding that the Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, urgently launches a manhunt for the suspects responsible for the brutal murder of two young Soweto boys.

It is disturbing that the bodies of children aged five and six years old were found mutilated a day after they were reported missing.

Far too often, we have been hearing cases of young children who go missing and more often than not they are found deceased. This is a clear indication that the lives of our children are at risk and therefore, it is of utmost importance – more than ever – that our communities look out for our children.

We urge the community of White City and Rockville in Soweto to please come forward with any information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.

The DA extends its condolences to the families of the deceased children and the communities affected.

We will monitor the progress of this investigation to ensure that no stone is left unturned in this matter. The DA will continue to fight for justice for the families of the deceased.

Violence against children is a scourge that cannot be tolerated in our communities. Let us all work together and report any criminal activity in our communities.

Gauteng Legislature adopts DA’s motion to combat GBV

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) has adopted the DA’s motion aimed at combating the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) in the province.

We are pleased and welcome the adoption of our motion, which, when implemented accordingly, will decrease cases of GBV.

Women and children in Gauteng have long suffered from the scourge of multiple crimes levelled against them without having full access to government structures that should assist them.

The shortage of victim empowerment centres in our communities has not only deprived women and children of much-needed victim support but also men who are abused by their partners.

The existing victim empowerment centres are in a dire state. In addition, Gauteng has a huge challenge concerning the DNA backlog, denying justice for GBV victims.

The DA’s motion proposes the following interventions to combat GBV:

  • We should have more trained police and social workers available at stations who will deal specifically with victims of GBV and deal with the issues affecting members of the LGBTQ+ community,
  • The Department of Community Safety and Security should do more in liaising with their national counterparts to provide adequate resources to all our victim empowerment centres across all our police stations; and
  • The province lobbies for the devolution of the SAPS so that access to the resources is not centralised. As a result, the province will have the mandate to effectively and efficiently distribute resources to aid victims of GBV.

The DA believes that GBV is a societal issue and government alone cannot fix GBV, but all stakeholders need to work together to find permanent solutions.

We will continue to put pressure on the Gauteng Department of Community Safety and Security to implement our motion resolutions as a matter of urgency.

Eldorado Park, Westbury and Riverlea residents’ lives are in danger as gang violence escalates

Gang violence in Eldorado Park, Westbury and Riverlea continues to escalate and is putting the lives of innocent residents in danger.

The latest incident claimed the life of an alleged gang boss from the notorious Fast Guns gang yesterday afternoon. This gang has been operating in the Westbury, Riverlea and Eldorado Park communities for a while now.

Keenan Elias has led the gang war in these communities for far too long, costing the lives of many innocent people.

The turf war between the Fast Guns and the Verados has in recent months taken a toll on people’s lives with more than 100 killings thus far.

The DA urges our communities to remain vigilant, report any incidents of crime to the police and not take matters into their own hands.

We have received news that the war between the two gangs will only intensify because of the killing of the gang leader in days to come, and we urge communities to stay safe and not to confront any potential gangster themselves.

The DA is demanding that the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko and the Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela to immediately allocate additional police resources to these communities to ensure a heavy police presence and the safety of residents.

There is a need for police visibility and regular patrols to prevent crime.

For far too long the DA has been pushing for the establishment of the committee of inquiry to look into the tangible solutions to curb gang violence in the province, one life lost is one too many. The residents of Eldoradopark, Riverlea, Westbury and other surrounding areas deserve to feel safe.

Eldorado Park residents in danger as gangsterism claims life of prominent community leader

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is deeply saddened by the news of the death of community leader, Ayob Mungalee, known as the Ultimate Warrior X. Mungalee was brutally killed in a shooting in Eldorado Park on Sunday evening.

The Westbury, Eldorado Park, Riverlea and Reiger Park communities have been held hostage by gangsterism for a long time now. There is a continuous rise in the number of fatal shooting incidents, with people being shot daily.

Mungalee has been a vital role player within the community in raising awareness about the brutal killings, gangsterism and other socio-economic issues contributing to the violence in the community.

It is alleged that a hit list was shared at the end of last year with various community leaders’ names. A case was opened at the Eldorado Park police station, and this case number has been shared with the DA. We will be writing to the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko and the SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, to determine the progress of the investigation.

The DA extends its condolences to the family and friends of Mungalee and the Eldorado Park community.

The DA demands that the committee of inquiry established by the Community Safety Oversight Committee in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) in December last year must be prioritised. Concrete timelines must be put in place for this inquiry, and tangible solutions must be found to the scourge of gangsterism in the province.

One life lost is one too many. Our residents in the communities hardest hit by gangsterism deserve to feel safe.

We will continue to lobby for more resources to be allocated to our police stations. This will help to address the lack of crime prevention and improve crime intelligence so that gangsters can be apprehended and prosecuted.

The lack of human resources at Zithobeni police station forces residents to travel 20 kilometres to report crime

Zithobeni residents in Tshwane are forced to travel 20 kilometres to Bronkhorstspruit police station to report incidents of crime because the Zithobeni Police Station does not have human resources. The previous police station was burnt down during a protest 10 years ago.

Even though a new police station was unveiled in 2021 ahead of the Local Government Elections (LGE), no human resources were made available.

Following an oversight inspection in November last year, we tabled questions to the MEC for Community Safety and Security, Faith Mazibuko, regarding allocating resources to this police station. To date, we are still waiting on answers from MEC Mazibuko.

The locks are rusted, the grass has been overgrown, and the building stands unmaintained and unattended.

It has been brought to our attention that there is an increase in drug-related crimes and burglaries in the Zithobeni area, with little to no police presence to prevent crime.

Learners from the Zithobeni High school are falling prey to these criminal elements. The school principal has, on numerous occasions, requested increased police visibility to prevent further criminal activity. Earlier this month, a Grade 8 learner was held hostage.

Given the large geographical area within the jurisdiction of the Bronkhorstspruit police station and the growing population within the area, additional resources must be allocated to this station as a matter of urgency. This will allow the station to be functional and operational.

It is unfair towards the community of Zithobeni that their rights to safety and security as enshrined in the constitution, are not protected and that young learners and other vulnerable groups are left to fend for themselves, while gangsters and criminals are increasing.

The DA will write to MEC Mazibuko to follow up on the unanswered questions to ensure that the Zithobeni police is prioritized and reopened as soon as possible. We will hold her accountable for her department mandate, and she will not get away by ignoring our questions.

Westbury residents continue to live in fear as gangsterism claims the life of a police officer

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is saddened by the news of a young police officer who was brutally killed in a shooting in Westbury earlier this week.

The Westbury, Eldorado Park, Riverlea, and Reiger Park communities have been held hostage by gangsterism. There is a continuous rise in brutal killings, with people being shot and killed on a daily basis.

The DA has visited all of these communities and the police stations involved. During these visits, we found a much deeper socio-economic problem that has led to these fatalities.

The DA has submitted various questions, and after months of oversight and discussions in the Community Safety oversight committee, we have finally managed to approve a motion to establish a committee of inquiry into the killings and the rise in gangsterism in the province.

The DA extends its condolences to the family of the young police officer who passed away as a result of yet another shooting.

I will be writing to the chairperson of the Community Safety Oversight Committee to bring to his attention the most recent brutal killings and request a formal timeline concerning the establishment of the committee of inquiry and the work it needs to do. This investigation needs to be prioritized. An end should be brought to all killings and gangsterism in this province.

Our residents in the communities hardest hit by gangsterism deserve to feel safe. We will continue to lobby for more resources to be allocated to our police stations to address the lack of crime prevention and improve crime intelligence so that gangsters can be prosecuted.

 

DA welcomes additional resources allocated to Olievenhoutbosch SAPS to ensure residents’ safety

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng welcomes the allocation of additional resources to assist the under-resourced Olievenhoutbosch SAPS following negotiations and requests by the DA to the Gauteng provincial SAPS.

Residents of Olievenhoutbosch and Knoppieslaagte communities will finally have a sigh of relief knowing that there will be high police visibility and public order policing officers amidst the recent volatility and violence due to the unlawful land grabs.

A court order has been granted to the local community and private landowners, which gives them the mandate to proceed with evictions. The role of the police is to ensure that everyone’s safety is prioritised during the eviction.

The DA has consulted the following: Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko, Tshwane MMC for Community Safety, Grandi Theunisen, Olievenhoutbosch SAPS station commander, Gauteng Provincial SAPS Commissioner, Lieutenant General Elias Mawela, and the District Commander to request additional support and resources to assist the under-resourced Olievenhoutbosch Police Station.

Additional public order policing and resources have been deployed from across the province to curb crime and ensure the safety of the residents.

It is through these collaborative efforts where we can work together to ensure that the safety and security of a community is prioritised

During a recent visit to the station, the DA discovered that the station is confident that they have a detailed operational plan in place to ensure the safety of the community. The station also has adequate resources to monitor the area and its surroundings to prevent further hostility, violence, or attacks on the community.

The property rights of the private landowners, as enshrined in the constitution, must be upheld and protected. The DA will continue to monitor the situation and engage the local stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to provide support when needed.

The situation remains volatile but is currently calm. The DA appeals to the community members not to take matters into their own hands and to refrain from fearmongering, remain calm but vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour to the police immediately.

In addition, the DA has written to the Tshwane Speaker to request a progress report regarding its official complaint against the EFF Councillor Godwin Ratikwane for a breach of the councillor’s code of conduct and incitement of trespassing and unlawful occupation of the privately owned property within the area.