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Citizens of the Northern Cape are increasingly becoming victims of crime, as the South African Police Service (SAPS) continues to lose the battle against criminals.

Compared to the same period under review last year, the latest crime statistics between April and June 2022 show that there has been an 11% increase in rape in the province, with most occurrences taking place at the residences of the perpetrator or the victim. These crime stats further reveal that murder and rape are more often committed at basic education premises.

Kidnappings also showed a very concerning 80% increase for the three-month period.

The fact that crimes against our children and Gender-Based Violence continues to dominate the crime statistic charts, is horrifying.

We are living under lock and key, yet our homes and now even our classrooms are increasingly becoming crime scenes. The fact that kidnappings, from which this province was also once far removed, are becoming a lived reality, is every parent’s worst nightmare.

All the talk by different spheres of government, including SAPS, about making GBV a priority crime and about attacking this scourge from all corners, has been nothing but hot air. Women and children are more unsafe in this country today than they have ever been before.

The province has further seen a 34,1% increase in trio crimes. Carjacking has increased with an alarming 250% while robbery at non-residential premises increased by 50,9%.

The high unemployment rate and the dire lack of socio-economic opportunities in the province, coupled with the under-resourced and under-capacitated police service, has created a toxic environment in this province, allowing violent crime to flourish.

The DA in the Northern Cape will robustly continue to gather signatures for the Party’s #CeleMustGo petition, as we seek to remind President Cyril Ramaphosa that, by refusing to fire the failing Police Minister Bheki Cele, he too has blood on his hands.

Issued by Ofentse Mokae, MPL - DA Northern Cape Spokesperson of Transport, Safety & Liaison