Parliamentary Police Portfolio Committee chairperson Ian Cameron said on Monday that the lack of effective investigations of criminal cases and prosecutions of alleged criminals contributes to rising criminality in South Africa, calling for capacitation and strengthening of detective and crime intelligence units in the South African Police Service (Saps).

This after five family members were killed in Bityi Village, near Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape, where Cameron said mass murders had become a trend in recent months.

He expressed concern at the trend of mass murders in villages, calling it “unacceptable”.

“There must be a concerted effort between the police and the community in order to stop this worrying trend,” said Cameron.

He stressed that without proper investigation, as well as accelerated prosecutions, criminality would inadvertently rise uncontrollably.

The committee wants Saps to strengthen collaboration with traditional leaders and community policing forums in rural communities.

Cameron also pointed to the proliferation of illegal firearms used in these crimes, urging a multiplicity of crime-fighting strategies to disarm criminals of those firearms.

“We must do whatever is necessary to turn the tide of murders in the country,” Cameron concluded.