GOOD statement by Brett Herron,
GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
18 February 2022
The 3rd quarter crime statistics continue a trend of unacceptably high crime rates in South Africa.
Even though there were some marginal declines in some crime categories the overall crime statistics still show a country gripped by an extremely high level of crime and a population who face daily risks to their lives and persons.
Even though there was an overall decrease in contact crime there was a 9% increase in the murder – with 6859 murders.
The scourge of Gender Based Violence continues with a shocking 11315 rapes reported between October and December 2021. Nearly half of those rapes took place in the victim’s homes meaning no place is really a safe place.
We welcome the commitment to specialised policing units and the plans to expand SAPS with an additional 12 000 police officers. However, policing alone will not adequately address the South Africa’s rampant crime.
We have to address the conditions that are conducive to and generate criminal conduct.
This means urgently addressing rampant unemployment, extreme inequalities and hopeless unemployment.
The President’s commitment to economic growth and to creating the environment conducive to job-creating growth needs to be implemented without delay.
With a society that is more socially, spatially and economically just, and where marginalised communities can see their lives improving we will start to see a safer South Africa.
No amount of policing will be able to eliminate crime without our socio-economic conditions being improved.
Media enquiries:
Brett Herron, GOOD: Secretary-General & Member of Parliament
Cell: 0825183264
Email: bretth@forgood.org.za
Samkelo Mgobozi, GOOD: Media Manager
Cell: 0792315977 (Whatsapp)/0829684021 (calls)
Email: samm@forgood.org.za