South African political parties have called for a complete overhaul of the police system after Statistics SA (Stats SA) released a report that paints a gloomy picture of the country’s continued surge in crime.
It emerged from the Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey 2023/24 victims of crime report released this week that housebreaking was the most common crime experienced by households in the country.
It found that the crime had increased in the 2023/24 period compared to the 2022/23 period and revealed a decline in the sense of safety among individuals walking in their neighbourhoods during the day and at night since 2019/20.
According to Stats SA, respondents were asked how safe they felt taking a stroll in their neighbourhoods alone during the day and when it was dark.
The report said: “The sense of safety in the dark among individuals aged 16 and older has declined, dropping from 41.8% in 2019/20 to 34.9% in 2023/24 … This trend is particularly pronounced among females, who reported feeling less safe walking in their neighbourhoods after dark compared to males.
“In 2023/24, an estimated 1.5 million incidences of housebreaking occurred, affecting 1.1 million households in South Africa. The number of affected households represents 5.9% of all households in the country.”
In addition, the report said 44.1% of households that experienced housebreaking reported some or all incidents to the police.
“An estimated 263 000 incidences of home robberies occurred, affecting 209 000 households in 2023/24. The number of affected households represents 1.1% of all households in the country. About 58% (57.6%) of households that experienced home robbery reported some or all incidents to the police.”
It revealed that personal property theft was the most common crime experienced by individuals aged 16 and over in South Africa.
“An estimated 1.4 million incidences of theft of personal property occurred in 2023/24, affecting 1.3 million people aged 16 and over. The number of affected individuals represents 3.0% of the population. About 29% (28.5%) of individuals who experienced theft of personal property reported some or all incidents to the police.”
According to the report, the second most experienced crime by individuals was street robbery where a total of 443 000 individuals experienced street robberies with an estimated 497 000 incidences.
“About 44% (44.2%) of the individuals reported some or all incidents to the police. Only 3.6% of the individuals that experienced street robbery received counselling … In 2023/24, 295 000 individuals experienced assault in a total of 506 000 incidents. Less than 1% (0.7%) of all individuals aged 16 years and older in the country experienced assault.
“Out of the individuals that experienced assault, 55% reported that weapons were used. They indicated that the weapon that was mainly used during incidences of assault was a knife. About 23% (22.5%) of the individuals reported that the incidences of assault occurred at home. Only 1.9% of the individuals that experienced assault received counselling after the incident.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, the EFF called for a complete overhaul of the policing system, saying the party was horrified by the report and confirmed that the general feeling in society was that the state had been completely overrun by criminals and police had no capacity to protect its citizens.
“Over the years of our participation in Parliament, we have consistently raised the fact that crime is grossly under reported in this country, and that specifically, the cases of rape and sexual assault that get reported are only a drop in the ocean. South Africa is a massive crime scene, and our citizens have no state to turn to,” the EFF statement said.
“The EFF calls for a complete overhaul of the South African policing system, and such overhaul must include the reconfiguration and strengthening of crime intelligence, the employment of more police, regular street patrols in hotspot areas, increased capacity for detective work, and seamless and competent prosecuting of these cases.”
Cope acting secretary Erick Mohlapamaswi said the report was a serious indictment of the criminal justice system.
“It’s not just a failure, it’s a monumental let down. The state, with its primary duty to protect citizens, is failing. The growing lack of confidence in the state’s ability to combat organised criminal networks and lone rangers is a serious concern. It’s driving some desperate individuals to resort to mob justice, a clear sign of the impact on citizens…
“This dire situation is a direct result of over 15 years of ANC misrule. They neglected their responsibilities and focused on corruption, self-aggrandisement, maladministration, and bad governance,” Mohlapamaswi said.
Pretoria News