MEC Wessels Morweng and SAPS management
MEDIA BRIEFING BY MEC WM MORWENG ON THE OCCASION OF THE RELEASE OF THE FIRST QUARTER CRIME STATISTICS
10 September 2024
MEC Boardroom, Tirelo Building – Mmabatho
Deputy Provincial Commissioners, General Asaneng and General Naidoo,
Chief Director for Civilian Secretariat, Mme Mpho Maleme and
Other senior managers and officials of the Department here present
Members of the Media with the first quarter crime statistics for the North West Province
Good morning to you all
We have gathered here this morning to release the crime statistics as reported at all 85 Police Stations in the Province. These statistics are for the first quarter of the current financial year, meaning from April to June 2024. We have previously on various platforms have emphasised our plans on reducing the levels of crime. We have also emphasised our stance in using various means available to fight crime.
It is worth repeating that criminals have no space in the society and must be dealt with harshly as they show no mercy when engaging in their heinous acts.
As has been emphasised by Minister Mchunu when releasing national crime statistics twelve days ago, we are once more calling on our police officers to defend themselves by all necessary means when confronted by these criminals. They must use all means within the law to protect themselves and all law-abiding citizens.
There is a disturbing growing trend of criminal groupings calling themselves business forums. These are groupings that often disrupt administration at government and municipal offices demanding to be given tenders without following proper procedures. Some of these groupings, insult and subject senior government officials including public office bearers to untold profanities to force them to break the law.
This shall not be tolerated and anyone caught doing this will be dealt with harshly and we are not going to be tolerant for any deviancy. Any contravention of any law of the Republic, will be dealt with in harshest way possible.
This being said, I must hasten to indicate that we respect and will continue to engage all business groups that engage us respectfully and follow proper processes to raise grievances. We appeal to and encourage all business sector stakeholders to weed out undesirable elements within their ranks and distance themselves from all acts of disputing government business.
As will be seen during the presentation later on, some of the Provincial stations appear in the Top 30 nationally in various crime categories. For instance, we have Rustenburg at number six nationally for property related crimes. Two areas in Dr RSM, Taung and Ganyesa have recorded rising figures of stock theft. Rustenburg, Mmabatho and Brits are in the Top Ten nationally of burglaries reported at both residential and non-residential premises.
In general, the crime figures in the Province have increased compared to the previous counting period. There is a 5% increase of reported crimes, with one thousand, one hundred and thirteen (1 113) more cases compared to the same reporting period the preceding year. Contact crime has increased by 8.8% whilst murder cases have increased by 20.3%.
Of the 278 murder cases that were reported, 13 cases were of multiple murders, wherein more than 1 person was killed in one incident. Although Sexual offences have decreased by 4.3% which accounts to 36 cases, rape remains a challenge, with an increase of 0.3%.
Illegal mining activities in some parts of the Province especially in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Bojanala Districts remain a challenge. This is not just an illicit activity but has also led to a number of murder incidents, arising from rival groups or confrontations with law enforcement officers. Though this remains a problematic area, we have to commend our law enforcement as several undocumented foreign nationals had been arrested through national operation called “Vala Umgodi”. Court cases involving these suspects is underway.
Unfortunately, as the law enforcement is busy on the other side fighting crime, there are some in society that are aiding it and abating police progress. Just this past weekend in Rustenburg, an accomplice who appeared in court yesterday, allowed illegal miners to use his bedroom as an entrance to the nearby mine shaft.
As indicated above about Taung and Ganyesa, stock theft also remains one of the biggest challenges in the Province. Other areas that are experienced high levels of this crime include Ngaka Modiri Molema and Bojanala. In total, stock theft cases have increased by 8.3%.
But as I have indicated two months ago in the Departmental policy speech, as part of the broader plan to fight crime, we are implementing what we call Crime Prevention through Environmental Design. This plan focuses on designing systems to reduce the opportunity for crime and increase the ease of detection and identification of criminals.
In supporting our men and women in blue in the fight against crime, we are strengthening the Community Policing Forums. Three weeks ago, we held a successful two-day CPF Provincial Indaba in Mahikeng where different stakeholders made a pledge to forge partnership in the fight against crime.
With our Crime Prevention through Environmental Design, working with stakeholders including municipalities, we identify crime spots areas and where necessary cut bushes which are haven of criminals. Just last month as part of the Women’s Month commemoration, we conducted crime prevention awareness campaigns throughout the province. We had sock theft engagements with communities as part of collaborative effort to fight the scourge especially in rural areas.
The truth is crime can and will never be defeated unless we work collaboratively with all stakeholders including communities. This is the reason why we continue to engage various communities across the Province as we have done last week in Lerome near Moruleng.
The village has reported many cases of gender-based violence. Still on GBV, we will continue to monitor the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) to ensure that there is compliance in servicing victims and survivors. Through our Civilian Secretariat for Police Chief Directorate, we will identify vulnerable groups in hotspots areas for installation of household safety gadgets, as well as distribution of personal safety alarms to promote neighborhood watch and increase the level of safety in the prevention of GBV and related crimes.
Let me now hand over to Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena for the presentation of the 2024/2025 First Quarter Crime Statistics.
ENDS!!!
