Sello Lehari, the MEC of the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, led an anti-crime imbizo in Tlhabane in Rustenburg Municipality after the city was ranked among the top cities for crime.
According to the recently released Fourth Quarter Crime Statistics, the city ranks seventh in the country for all crimes reported to the police.
The Bojanala District, of which Rustenburg is the largest town, recorded 41% of the total crime statistics in the province. Rustenburg had 10.3% more crime than in the previous quarter.
For the quarter, Tlhabane and Phokeng had reported 1,180 crime incidents and these are only those reported to the police. Combined, the two had reported 11,7% of all crime incidents in the municipality.
“What worries me more is the ever rising figures of robberies, car hijackings, residential breaking-ins, domestic violence and gender-based violence”
“Disturbingly the number of sexual-related crimes and incidents of child neglect and ill-treatment are on the increase and we implore on the communities to act responsibly and report all incidents that contravene any law of the country”, said MEC Lehari.
In most cases, crime incidents occur in taverns, where alcohol is sold. Victims and perpetrators often know each other.
In the past six months, the MEC has visited various other areas in the province on the anti-crime community engagements, including Tlokwe in Potchefstroom, Klipgat and Letlhabile in Madibeng and Sekhing in Taung.
“Similar engagements are planned for Potchefstroom and Moretele in the next few weeks with other areas earmarked for the second quarter of the new financial year.” said Lehari.
As part of ensuring that the fight against crime is effective, the MEC will also assist the Department in a variety of activities, including search and seizure, joint law enforcement operations, oversight visits to assess the police stations, analysing resource allocation, as well as the capacity and ability of these stations to service their communities. Where gaps are identified, immediate intervention will be implemented.
The MEC has also urged communities to work with relevant authorities in their areas. They should also engage the Civilian Secretariat Chief Directorate of the Department if they are unhappy with the process of reporting cases.
IOL