Mpumalanga MEC worries about murder rate

HIGHVELD – Mr Vusi Shongwe, MEC for the Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, said the 16.4 per cent murder rate in the 2013/2014 crime statistics of the province is of grave concern.

“The figure is even more than the national murder rate.”

eMbalenhle recorded 48 murder cases, Ermelo 46, Tonga 44, Vosman 44 and Culcutta 38.

Despite the increase, there are places that recorded no murder incidents and they are Charl Cilliers, Badplaas, Breyten, Mbuzini and Perdekop.

According to the crime statistics released on Friday, 19 September, the national murder rate has increased by five per cent.

Mr Shongwe said cluster stations such as Secunda, Witbank, Pienaar, Acornhoek, KwaMhlanga and Middelburg collectively contributed about 55 per cent to the total number of contact crimes reported for the period under review.

Contact crimes included murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, assault with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm, common assault, aggravated robbery and common robbery.

“We have been encouraged by the decline in the sexual offences category.

“Assault with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm and common assault, have decreased.“Incidences relating to common robbery have also gone down.

“We have observed that most contact crimes take place among people who know each other and that is why it is difficult to police this type of crime,” said Mr Shongwe.

Alcohol and drug abuse seem to be contributing towards crime.

Mr Shongwe said most contact crimes happen over weekends, around midnight, and are linked to liquor stores.

“We are going to monitor liquor traders’ compliance with the operating licences and those who are not complying, will have their establishments closed.”

Mr Shongwe said the latest crime statistics are not only just numbers, but are an indication of the level of violence that communities in Mpumalanga are still subjected to.

“They are also an indication that we still have a lot of work to do with regard to defeating crime in our country and province in particular.”

Contact-related crimes, such as arson and malicious damage to property, declined.

Mr Shongwe said the province could have done better were it not for sporadic service delivery protests.

“It is against this background that my department will meet with all stakeholders for a peace and stability indaba that will be held in the current financial year.

“We are concerned about the protests that are ravaging our province and will not keep quiet about the matter.”

Property-related crimes remain stable, with a slight decrease in business and residential burglaries, vehicle and motorcycle theft, theft from vehicles and stock theft.

Crimes dependent on police action for detection include illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, drug-related crimes and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition increased.

Cash-in-transit robberies increased, while truck hijackings increased significantly.

Carjacking also increased slightly, while robbery at residential and non-residential areas decreased marginally.