By Daanyaal Matthews
The latest crime stats have caused a stir in South Africa. While some crimes, like attempted sexual assault, have decreased, gang violence in the Western Cape remains rampant. Police Minister Senzo Mchunu echoed calls from residents for stronger intervention in high-murder areas.
In response, Western Cape Government’s Anroux Marais, SAPS Lieutenant General (Adv) Thembisile Patekile, and National CPF Chairperson Francina Lukas held a media briefing. They discussed crime trends and plans to tackle gangsterism and other key concerns.
Speaking to VOC Newsbeat, Lukas highlighted the devastating impact of crime on children:
“The killing of innocent children remains a point of concern because the children who are not part of gangsterism, who are innocent, become victims in these ongoing gang fights in the Cape Flats,” stressed Lukas.
While the government seeks a plan to combat the issue of crime, so have community members, with the latest report indicating an increase in vigilantism in communities. Lukas has decried these developments but contends that lack of trust in authorities creates a bogey that vigilantism thrives in, stating:
“It speaks to the issue of confidence and trust in the law, and it’s an issue that we have to address as a CPF. But, also, we have to ensure that we get a higher conviction rate because SAPS might arrest a person and that person will be let off by the court for various reasons. So, it’s an issue that needs all of us to attend to it to ensure we don’t have vigilantism in our communities.”
Listen to the full interview here:
Photo: Supplied
