As the lockdown continued into its second week, Edenvale, Bedfordview and Sebenza Police stations identified a decrease in criminal activity in their precincts.
Edenvale SAPS spokesperson Sgt Jacob Mashile said since the lockdown was implemented there have been very few cases reported to the station.
He said since March 27 less than 10 cases were reported to the station.
This number includes the business robbery which occurred in Isandovale on April 3.
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Col Justus Geustyn, Bedfordview SAPS station commander, said crime has decreased since the inception of the 21-day lockdown.
Sebenza SAPS spokesperso Sgt Sharon Tsotsotso said crime in the station’s precinct had also decreased drastically.
“We do not have cases opened at the station during the lockdown,” she explained.
Despite the decrease in criminal activity, Mashile and Tsotsotso said several matters related to domestic violence were brought to the attention of the station.
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Tsotsotso said the cases police have been attending to during the lockdown were mostly domestic violence cases.
“The domestic violence cases we have attended to are not serious cases,”she explained.
“It is mostly arguments in households.”
Mashile said although no domestic violence cases have been opened at Edenvale, several entries were made into the station’s domestic violence registry.
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Mashile said the complainants did not want to open cases but were provided with a reference number from the registry.
“The reference number allows victims to seek assistance from the court, social workers or a women’s shelter if they want to.
“Most of the matters were arguments which had escalated, none of the incidents in Edenvale became physical.”
And advice Mashile, who is Edenvale’s head of Social Crime Prevention Unit, offered community members was to be tolerant of each other and walk away from an argument before it escalates.
“As South Africans, we are not used to this situation, we need to be understanding.
“If neighbours or family members believe domestic abuse is occurring, they should phone the police.
“Do not intervene, you may get injured, rather let the authorities handle the matter,” added Mashile.
According to Geustyn, there has been no increase in domestic violence cases in all sectors the station covers.
“There has been no difference in domestic violence cases than before lockdown,” said Geustyn.
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