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The crime statistics released by Minister of Police Bheki Cele today, for the period October to December 2023, contain no good news.

The only glimmer of hope is a slight reduction in the number of reported sexual offences, which is down 1.7% to 15 284 cases (more or less the same number as that recorded in the same period in 2019).

That’s 166 reports of sexual offences per day, to go with the 86 daily murders.

Four of the top five police stations where murders were reported are in Cape Town, raising further questions about the worth of the city’s extensive crime fighting resources.

A number of abnormal conditions in South African society contribute to the excessive crime rate, including poverty and the relatively low percentage of criminals who are convicted for their crimes.

But arguably the biggest culprit is not the questionable standard of policing and prosecutions; it is the under-development of our people and communities.

The police have a relatively small role to play in crime prevention. It is the responsibility of other government departments, from Human Settlements to Education, to Social Development, to contribute to creating communities conducive to human development, the development of youth in particular.

Statistics are important for planning and budgeting, but what’s even more important is that our people don’t feel safe in their homes, schools, churches, and on the streets of their communities.

More funding must go to neighbourhood watches and police forums to operate as the eyes and ears of the police, and less to VIP security.

The way we prevent and manage crime requires an urgent national conversation.

Issued by Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of Parliament