28 September 2006
Western Cape contact crime fell by 17%, a three-year consecutive decline of
23%. Western Cape Minister for Community Safety, Leonard Ramatlakane, said he
dedicates the decline in the Western Cape's crime levels to the millions of
ordinary citizens, the volunteers and the province's law enforcement
agencies.
When the national crime statistics were announced in Pretoria yesterday, the
Western Cape recorded a 17% decline in crime for the past year (compared to the
previous year of 7,5%).
Commenting on the announcement, Minister Ramatlakane said "Contact crime has
come down in the Western Cape by 17% for the financial year 2005/06. In the
last three years we have accumulatively reduced contact crime in the province
by 23%. This is positive news. It means that we are certain in our fight to
stabilise the country towards the 2010 soccer World Cup. Once more we dedicate
this reduction to they millions of our law-abiding citizens, the volunteers and
our law enforcement agencies".
Minister Ramatlakane continued, "As the people of the Western Cape, we have
reason to breathe a sigh of relief by this positive news. But, again, our
people should continue to be concerned and that they must continue to fight
with the police. We say this because, we believe it is the people's right to be
uncompromising when poor service is rendered. The people in our province, Black
and White should continue to receive quality service."
"The time is over where people in poor communities, which are hardest hit by
serious and violent crimes, would receive substandard service. It is for this
reason that the Service Charter signed by myself and Provincial Commissioner
Mzwandile Petros, makes it clear that our police officers commit themselves to
provide quality service to all and be accountable by demonstrating respect to
members of our communities. Today we remind our communities to use the
provisions of the Service Charter at all times".
Minister Ramatlakane said the reduction in crime for the past year, was
achieved through the efforts of many of those in (police) uniform and
non-uniform.
"The overall decline of 17% is an achievement worthy of a mention. However
we are aware that, there's still room for improvement. And that we can only do
when both communities and law enforcement agencies continue to work in
partnership. Much more still need to be done to reduce crime levels, even more
especially serious and violent crime, rape and the abuse of women and children.
Today we celebrate a decline on crime as a result of these partnerships with
our people. We thank the people who rolled up their sleeves, and worked
together with our men and women in blue (police), and municipal police officers
to bring down contact crime in our province."
We are also humbled to witness that our pilot to deploy the most experienced
police officers (foot soldiers) in the trenches of the crime zone or police
stations, is now being modelled into a national plan that has changed the model
of policing in the country.
We must say that it is a groundbreaking policing strategy. We are happy to
have started this strategy against much criticism, by the media and other
commentators who call themselves experts on the subject of policing.
"Today we can demonstrate that we were correct with our strategy and they
(critics) missed the point completely. Those who called the Provincial
Commissioner a "domkop" must be eating humble pie right now. I am sure they can
only say to him, 'We were wrong'. Some even called us incompetent fools".
In looking forward to the 2010 Soccer World Cup in our country, we should
strengthen on the gains we continue to make so that we can do even more than
this.
Therefore it is our resolve that together with the thousands of our
Bambanani volunteers we will continue with our efforts against crime. The more
of our communities joining ranks with this programme, the stronger we become
against criminals as this will also ensure that we protect our women and
children against crime and abuse.
In conclusion, Minister Ramatlakane remarked, "Yes today, it is for all of
us to prove that accumulatively, for the last three years we have achieved a
23% decline in contact crime, meaning that we are doing something that is
achieving results, even if it is by some margins.
"Yes, our plans are beginning to pay dividends; hence crime has come down by
17% for this year 2005/06. Yes we will continue to confront the crime
challenges together especially the abuse of women and children, rape, violent
crime, contact crime, drugs and gangsterism."
Crime statistics for the Western Cape - Period under review � 1 April to 31
March 2006:
* South African Police Services (SAPS) managed to bring down contact crime
by 17,1%. This surpasses the Cabinet's national threshold of a 7 - 10% decrease
in this category
* all crimes under this category include: assault grievous bodily harm (GBH),
assault common, rape, indecent assault, robbery aggravated and common
robbery
* murder increased by 1%
* attempted murder dropped by 25,5%
* rape decreased by 10,1%
* indecent assault stabilised by 1,2%.
Crimes heavily dependent on police action:
* this category has once again showed a positive increase of 15%
* illegal possession of firearms stabilised at 0,2%, this is attributed to the
increased and stricter implementation of gun regulations
* drug-related crimes and driving under the influence of alcohol showed a
positive increase of 14,3% and 23,3% respectively. These crimes are bound to
increase because of increased police initiatives such as planned operations and
roadblocks aimed at policing these crimes
* property related crimes such as housebreaking in residential premises dropped
by 12,7%, while burglary on business premises dropped by 11,2%
* theft of motor vehicles increased by 3,9%
* theft out of motor vehicles decreased by 6,3%
* stock theft decreased by 25,5%
* commercial crime showed a decline from 7 651 to 7 139 cases (a decline of
6,7%).
Enquiries:
Makhaya Mani
Tel: (021) 483 3873
Cell: 082 780 4493
Director Novella Potelwa
Cell: 082 559 4676
Issued by: Western Cape Provincial Government
28 September 2006
