Even with an increase on the number of cases reported, the Community Crime Prevention Organisation (CCPO) believes the stats for Amanzimtoti released last week are still not an accurate account of the crime in the area.
According to Crime Stats SA that compiles and releases the annual figures, the total number of crimes reported in Toti are up from 6 053 in 2018 to 6 238 cases reported in 2019.
For contact crimes (crimes against the person), murder decreased from 16 to 13; no change in sexual offences at 49; attempted murder decreased from 23 to 21; assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm decreased from 92 to 91; common assault decreased from 134 to 124; common robbery decreased from 59 to 28; robbery with aggravating circumstances increased slightly from 182 to 206.
In contact-related crimes, arson increased from three to 13 cases; malicious damage to property decreased from 145 to 115.
In property-related crimes, burglary at non-residential premises increased from 102 to 116; burglary at residential premises decreased from 526 to 504; theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle increased from 238 to 259; theft out of or from motor vehicle increased from 41 to 136; stock theft increased from one to three cases.
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In crime detected as a result of police action, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition cases decreased from 25 to 24; drug-related crime is down from 368 to 232; driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is up from 245 to 330; sexual offences detected as a result of police action has increased from 30 to 52.
In other serious crimes, all theft not mentioned elsewhere is up from 452 to 491; commercial crime is up from 257 to 336; shoplifting is up from 198 to 218; community-reported serious crimes is up from 2 618 to 2 723. Carjacking is up from 32 to 42; robbery at residential premises is up from 48 to 52; robbery at non-residential premises is down from 20 to 10; rape is down from 35 to 30; sexual assault is up from 10 to 12; attempted sexual offences are up from two to three; as well as contact sexual offences from two to four.
“Dealing with car theft, housebreakings, carjackings and so on on a daily basis, we see what actually goes on in the streets,” said CCPO committee member, George Snodey. “A large percentage of vehicles that are carjacked or stolen are recovered before the victim has a chance to open a case are not recorded. The victim doesn’t want his vehicle to go to the pound for a few days, so he chooses to rather take it and drive off. We would say the percentage in these cases are as high as 30 or 40 per cent.
“The same applies to cases of housebreaking. We find that a lot of people who have had incidents either do not want to open a case because they have their items returned or it’s just too much trouble and inconvenience. We also have a national problem where some SAPS officials give complainants an incident report and don’t open a case of housebreaking when it’s as clear as daylight it is a housebreaking. So in our view, these figures are far from being accurate.”
Numerous attempts from the SUN to elicit comment from Toti SAPS went unanswered.
Ward 97 councillor, Andre Beetge, reacted with mixed feelings to the 2019 stats. “Although there is a decrease in 12 categories, there is an increase in 16. The ongoing efforts from SAPS and neighbourhood watches seems to have had a positive effect on some of the crime.
There is an increase of sexually-related crime, especially where violence is involved, which is in line with the national trend, which is of concern.
“Property-related crimes are up. Although burglary at residential premises is down, there is an increase in at non-residential premises, theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle, stock theft, shoplifting, carjacking and robbery at residential premises. This is again indicative of what is happening across the country, due to the high unemployment rate. People are committing crime to stay alive. These are not career criminals, but unemployed people who are using the opportunities created by residents who leave gates or doors open, or valuables, which are easily exchange for cash, laying around.
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“Driving under the influence has also increased and is the highest it has been for five years, which is indicative of our social economic climate. It also show people have no respect for the law.
“Overall Toti is not losing the battle against crime and we are far from being the worst in the country. I urge residents to join their local neighbourhood watch that is making a difference to crime, and liaise with the police and attend the monthly police sector forum meetings.”
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