In the aftermath of the frightening picture placing KwaZulu-Natal at the centre of violent crime and rape in the country, the DA in the province has come out gun blazing accusing premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and her counterpart in the department of community safety of sleeping on duty.
According crime statistics released on Wednesday by Police Minister Bheki Cele, KwaZulu-Natal had the highest number of murder cases at 1 857, an increase of 6.5%, between July and September.
The report also shows that the province occupied second place after Gauteng in regards to reported rape cases, standing at 2 045 for the period under review.
“Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube and her community safety MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, should account following the release of second-quarter crime statistics, which show a province under siege with criminals having more firepower than the SAPS,” Sharon Hoosen, DA spokesperson on community safety and liaison, said.
Hoosen said the provincial government has peddled lies that it is beefing up police resources to keep communities safe, saying the stance has put citizens in harm’s way.
“Regrettably, these are not just figures, they reflect the real life experiences of KwaZulu-Natal people. They also point directly to a government that does not value the personal safety of its people.”
Other crimes that increased include attempted murder with 1 614 cases, sexual offences at 2 458 cases, an increase of 9.8%, and contact crime with 27 458 cases reported.
The sprawling townships of Inanda and Umlazi were singled out to be carrying the heaviest load of the crimes committed in KwaZulu-Natal.
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