Western Cape Mobility MEC Daylin Mitchell has slammed Police Minister Bheki Cele’s “stats talk show”, saying no solutions were offered for the province’s crime problems.
Cele on Thursday gave an update on the latest crime situation in the province, focussing among others on kidnappings, extortion, violence against bus companies and hijacking.
He said while the Western Cape has recorded the lowest murder percentage increase (0.2%) in the latest crime statistics released last month, “extreme violence and brutality stalked the province”.
Cele added that the province has recorded an increase in contact crimes – which include murder, robbery and sexual offences – between April to June 2022, with Nyanga ranking No 1 in the top 30 of contact crime stations in SA. He said as many as 83 mense were killed innie Kaap in seven days.
Last week, Sergeant Sthembiso Mnatwana, 39, stationed at Cape Town Central Saps was gunned down in front of his home in Samora Machel after a 12-hour shift.
“The sergeant is one of 83 people killed in the Western Cape from September 5 to 11,” Cele said.
He added Cape cops have pounced on carjacking syndicates and recovered vehicles worth millions of rand.
“Intelligence operations have led police in this province to uncover a truck-jacking syndicate targeting delivery trucks with a cash safe at the back.” Cele said.
“Their modus operandi meant the trucks were intercepted while stationary at a traffic light.
“The gang would gain entry, steal the cash inside the safe and dump the truck in a nearby community, where it is looted by residents for its cargo.
“Such incidents have been reported to the Hermanus, Bellville, Gugulethu, and Robertson policing areas.
“Two suspects have also been arrested for a spate of carjackings in the Mitchells Plain, Milnerton and Bishop Lavis areas.
“The [culprits] targeted courier vehicles in the Milnerton and Table View areas.”
Currently, Western Cape Saps are investigating 32 cases of kidnapping, which occurred between March and September – 15 suspects have been bust.
This includes five skelms who were caught after trying to hijack a Chinese businesswoman in Ottery last week.
“It remains encouraging that the Saps in the province continue to make inroads regarding kidnapping cases,” said Cele.
However, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said Cele should establish an extortion and kidnapping task force in the city.
“It was reported earlier this year that in 2017, out of 65 countries [where statistics are available] South Africa already ranked third-highest with a rate of 9.6 kidnappings per 100 000 people,” he said.
“In 2021/22, this figure has now jumped to 11 per 100 000 people.”
Cele also said for the month of August, 38 cases were registered for attacks on Intercape, Golden Arrow and Mavumisa buses, as well as taxis, for which 16 people were arrested.
He said interventions included investigative task teams reliant on early warnings from crime intelligence to make arrests and prevent further attacks and increased police deployment on bus routes.
“The ministry is comfortable with these measures in place to curtail violence, intimidation, threats and disruptions in the transport sector,” said Cele.
But MEC Mitchell says: “We need less talk and more meaningful interventions to address the very worrying increase in criminal acts of extortion, racketeering and murder, targeting public transport operators in the Western Cape and other provinces.”
He added that in June, Premier Alan Winde wrote to President Cyril Ramaphosa for assistance.
“The president referred the matter to the security cluster ministers but we have never heard a word from the minister of police, Bheki Cele, who was tasked with this crucial and urgent engagement.”
marsha.dean@inl.co.za