Murder cases up in Hillbrow

Phiyega said there were key interventions they intend to intensify including police visibility and enhancing efforts to reduce the circulation of illegal firearms, as well as raising awareness about underlying socio-economic contributors which lead to an increase in contact crime. She said, “Management of the South African Police are concerned about contact crime in particular murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. These crimes are very stubborn and extremely difficult to police as a significant majority take place between people who know each other.”

Meanwhile Hillbrow police spokesperson Sergeant Mduduzi Zondo attributed the increase of murder cases in the area to the high levels of alcohol intake and abuse in the area. Zondo said, “Most people are being when they are being robbed in the early hours of the morning on their way home from taverns and other liquor selling outlets. Others fight in these places and are killed in the process.”

Zondo said the crime hot spots in their precinct were Berea, Joubert and and Hillbrow. He added that the most dangerous streets are the corner of Quartz and Kotze streets. Zondo said, “Other dangerous spots are the corner of Claim Street and Esselen Street. However , we are busy intensifying police visibility and working with the security companies in the area and organising street patrollers to clean up the streets.”