MTHATHA – “What has been presented…is a mixed bag of successes and shortcomings,” that is how the Eastern Cape MEC for Transport and Community Safety captured the Crime Situation for the 3rd Quarter of 2021/2022 (October to December 2021) in her main address during a briefing session that was held in Mthatha yesterday.

The Eastern Cape MEC For Transport and Community Safety,  Mrs Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe and Police Senior Management in the Province of the Eastern Cape held a briefing session on reported crimes between October and December 2021.

“Provincial Commissioner, this is what the numbers read. We have to accept them and accept the challenge they pose to us. We as the Department of Community Safety are here to say. You are not alone in this journey”, concluded MEC Tikana-Gxothiwe

The province has shown a decrease of 7.4% on reported rape cases, with Lusikisiki still showing some challenges as it reported most cases of rape in the province.

Successful cross border operations to curb stock theft yielded positive results, as there was a decrease of 11.7% in the said period.

Crimes against women and children will always be the priority of government. The SAPS will intensify its proactive and combat operations so as to curb gender based violence and incidents of domestic violence.  SAPS will also partner with other pertinent stakeholders to assist in addressing social ills

There were some notable decreases in criminal activities in the Province:
– 3.6% on property related crimes
– 9.3% on truck hijacking

In categories of crime, where there was an increase, strategic approaches and deployments will be introduced systematically and simultaneously monitored so as to gauge their effectiveness.

“Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mene asserted, “We need to appreciate the good performance in some areas and crime categories where we have witnessed significant decreases in specific and most problematic crimes.  It is well known fact that in the previous years and quarters we were concerned about such crimes as Stock Theft and Rapes in identified hotspots. It was exciting for me to see some measure of decreases in GBV cases in the area of Lusikisiki and some parts of the Province. However, I am not suggesting that we have arrived.”

Source: South African Police Service