By Daanyaal Matthews
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has released the fourth quarter crime statistics, showing a decrease in major crimes such as murder, attempted murder, and common assault. However, an increase in rape cases has triggered a 90-day government blitz to address gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide.
Speaking on VOC’s Newsbeat, Professor Guy Lamb, political analyst and criminologist, described the statistics as encouraging when it comes to the murder rate, but emphasized that crime remains a significant issue in Cape Town precincts.
“In the top ten murder stations in the country, five of them are in the City of Cape Town. So, we can’t get away from it; the problem is still there, and in some of those stations some of the murder rates have gone up dramatically. If you look at Phillipi East, for example, you see more than a 60% increase from last quarter,” stated Lamb.
The Cape Flats has gained international attention for its crime levels, particularly following recent comments by Johann Rupert at the White House. Lamb linked the continued violence in the area to entrenched gang activity and the widespread availability of illegal firearms.
“It’s gang conflict, but it’s also gangs and gang members having access to firearms, and that seems to be an ongoing problem. We have considerable numbers of illegal firearms and ammunition that seem to be easily available to individuals and groups who want to use them,” added Lamb.
Listen to the full interview here:
Photo: GovernmentZA
