Police Minister Bheki Cele is seen during a press briefing at the Department of Defence Logistic Support Formation Tekbase, 18 March 2019, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
The DA in the Free State has called on Police Minister Bheki Cele to hire more police officers and ensure police stations across the province are adequately equipped.
The party were responding to Cele’s parliamentary reply which indicated that over 70% of Free State police stations do not meet the United Nations (UN) recommended standards. The DA in the province said it is totally unacceptable that police stations in the province – and across the country – are understaffed, while crime statistics indicate an increase in criminal activities.
The latest stats released by Cele before the police portfolio committee earlier this month, painted a bleak picture of a South Africa plagued by high contact crimes, such as murder, and sexual offences.
The 2018/19 crime stats indicated that between April last year and March this year, 21 022 people were killed, which is an increase of 686 murders – meaning about 58 murders a day. Sexual offences are also on the rise having increased by 2 312 cases or 4.4%.
– OFM News
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