South Africa: Informed by the fourth quarter crime statistics report tabled by Police Minister Gen. Bheki Cele on 19 August 2022, today, 14 September 2022, Matjhabeng Local Municipality, under the leadership of Mayor Thanduxolo Khalipa, has convened a two-day Safety and Security Summit at the Ernest Oppenheimer theatre, Welkom.
The cardinal purpose of the summit is to respond to the divergent forms of criminality that have plagued our communities and left them vulnerable and living in fear.
Minister Cele’s report findings painted a gloomy picture of the current state of affairs within our provinces and the country at large. The summit seeks to provoke a conversation between government, stakeholders and communities, with the fundamental objective of ultimately coming up with solutions that will undermine rising crime levels and the prevailing state of lawlessness within our communities.
Crime has a profound socioeconomic impact on the livelihoods of people and their quality of life.
Speaking at the summit, Home Affairs Minister from the Kingdom, Mr Letsosa, said, “Undocumented foreign nationals pose a serious threat of instability within those countries they have illegally habited. Because they are undocumented, they tend to subscribe to crime as a means of survival. Without reservation, I must say, the government of Lesotho stands against criminality in all its character, whether committed against the laws of Lesotho or those of other countries.”
“Police and communities must work together to uproot crime from our communities. We also acknowledge that some community members have lost confidence in the police. However, we will work hard to restore that trust” MEC for Police Roads and Transport William Bulwane.
“We must unite against crime in all its forms. According to the report by Minister Cele, women and children are the most vulnerable to crime. Gender-based Violence (GBV) is the most prominent crime committed in the Free State; with 1644 reported cases. It is absolutely imperative that our women and children are protected. Indeed we cannot trivialise the existence of other crimes like livestock theft, hijacking, drugs, and murder.
However, I find hope in the fact that we have come under one roof to develop strategies to stop this enemy in its tracks. In conclusion, any attempt to build our communities whilst not protecting the future, our youth, is building in vain ” Premier Sisi Ntombela.
