Police Commissioner must account for increased crime – DA Limpopo
SEKHUKHUNE – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Limpopo on Monday announced that it would write to the Portfolio Committee Chairperson for Transport and Community Safety, Mmashibe Seono, to summon Limpopo Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe.
The DA said Hadebe must appear before the committee to account for the unyielding increase in crime in the province.
The party said according to the crime statistics for the period 1 July to 30 September 2021, as released by Minister Bheki Cele on 19 November, overall crime in Limpopo increased by 3.1 percent. The national average indicated a decline in 0.5 percentage points.
Katlego Phala, DA Provincial Spokesperson on Community Safety, said during the period under review there were 229 murders recorded in the province, which is 43 more than the same period last year.
Phala said that although robberies decreased slightly, there were sharp increases in other contact crimes, attempted murders increased by 28.6 percent, assault with intention to inflict serious bodily harm increased by 43 percent and common assaults increased by 9.3 percent.
She said there was an increase of 7.5 percentage points in reported sexual offences cases in the province, up from 934 to 1004.
“This disturbingly means that every day, 11 individuals, mainly women and children, are raped or sexually violated in some way that changes their lives forever. DA is disappointed in the 21.1 percent decreases in crimes detected as a result of police action. This crime category is largely dependent on police deployment and crime intelligence.
It is clear that L.t Gen and her cohort let the ball drop and in doing so, placed communities at risk,” said Phala.
She added that their vision was to implement policy in support of police service hat was properly equipped, well trained and responds rapidly to any threat to the personal safety of citizens and prevent crime before it occurred.
“The DA will demand L.t General Hadebe to account for the increase and explain to the legislature where she is legally accountable, what the exact and detailed plans are to assist police stations across the province to ensure that crime is brought under control,” concluded Phala.
