Tlhabane: The MEC for the Department of Community Safety and Transport Management, Sello Lehari led the anticrime Imbizo in Tlhabane in Rustenburg Municipality. The recently released Fourth (4th) Quarter Crime Statistics indicated that Rustenburg stands at position seven for all the crimes reported to the police in the first three months of 2023.
Bojanala District, of which Rustenburg is the biggest conurbation, has recorded 41% of the total crime stats in the Province, and the city had 10.3% more than the previous quarter.
For the quarter, Tlhabane and Phokeng had reported 1 180 crime incidents, only those reported by the police. Cumulatively the two had reported 11,7% of the total crime incidents reported in the municipality.
For this reason, MEC Lehari led the Anticrime Imbizo in Tlhabane.
“What worries more is the ever-rising figures of robberies, car hijackings, residential breaking-ins, domestic violence and gender-based violence”, said MEC Lehari.
“Disturbingly, the number of sexual-related crimes and incidents of child neglect and ill-treatment are on the increase, and we implore the communities to act responsibly and report all incidents that contravene any law of the country”, said MEC Lehari.
Most crime incidents seemingly emanate from alcohol-selling premises like taverns, and both victim and perpetrator often know each other. MEC Lehari has been on anticrime community engagements in various areas of the Province.
The MEC had been to Tlokwe in Potchefstroom, Klipgat and Letlhabile in Madibeng and Sekhing in Taung in the last six months. Similar engagements are planned for Potchefstroom and Moretele in the next few weeks, with other areas earmarked for the second quarter of the new financial year.
As part of ensuring that there is a holistic approach to fighting crime, MEC Lehari will lead the Department in a variety of activities. These include search and seizure, joint law enforcement operations, oversight visits to assess the police stations, analyse resource allocation, and the capacity and ability of these stations to service their communities. Where gaps are identified, immediate intervention is sought.
Communities are also encouraged to work together with relevant authorities in their areas and engage the Civilian Secretariat Chief Directorate of the Department if they are unhappy with the processes of cases reported.