The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola announced on Monday, 01 August 2022 that strict measures have been put in place to address the high crime rate in the country.
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Crime stats in South Africa in recent times have been a huge matter of contestation. Fingers have been pointed at Police Minister Bheki Cele as to why the violent nature of criminal activity has become normalised in South Africa.
According to Masemola, they are enhancing policing methods to reduce serious and violent crimes. He said their analysis of crime threats and crime patterns guides their intensified deployments over identified problematic time zones and at identified crime hotspots. “For instance, there is an indication that in general, most serious and violent crimes are committed between Fridays and Mondays,” Masemola said.
In an opening statement, he put emphasis on the tighter enforcement of the Firearms Control Act, the National- and Provincial Liquor Acts, and the Second Hand Goods Act, as well as the strategic mounting of roadblocks. These will be among the operational interventions against which Station Commanders will now be measured. He stated that Station Commanders are now expected to align their daily duties and reporting to the Crime Threat and Pattern Analysis of their local policing precinct.
Masemola reflected on the determination of the management of the SAPS to intensify their efforts, dealing decisively with the proliferation of illegal firearms, thus reducing the volumes of serious and violent crimes by saying: “To this end, in July alone, a total of 1 173 illegal firearms and 7 738 live ammunition were confiscated countrywide. 1 035 of these were confiscated in Gauteng alone. Some of these firearms, ammunition and dangerous weapons were seized during roadblocks, as well as stolen vehicles and drugs.
Over the past weekends, there’s been many shootings incidents that have resulted in multiple murders and injuries in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Gauteng mostly. Therefore, he said an analysis of this emerging crime pattern, Provincial Commissioners are mobilising maximum resources towards preventing these incidents and apprehending the perpetrators.
The National Commissioner also announced the appointment of senior managers. In conclusion, the newly appointed Deputy National Commissioner for Policing, Provincial Commissioner for Northern Cape, and the Divisional Commissioner for Supply Chain Management (SCM) were introduced.
Since crime has spiked across South Africa, we hope that these announced interventions will help address and combat crime, going forward.
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Picture: SAPS/Facebook