Deur die inperking te gebruik om die toename in misdaad te probeer verbloem lei niemand in Suid-Afrika om die bos nie.
Die minister van polisie, mnr. Bheki Cele het die misdaadstatistiek vir die eerste kwartaal van die 2021/2022-tydperk* bekend gemaak. Hy het herhaaldelik beklemtoon dat die dubbelsyfer-styging nie ‘n ware weerspieëling van die toename van misdaad is nie omdat die COVID-19 pandemie die syfers skeef trek.
“Slim woorde verander nie die feit dat 5 760 mense in drie maande in Suid-Afrika vermoor is nie,” sê mnr. Henry Geldenhuys, die president van TLU SA. “Waar op aarde is dit aanvaarbaar dat 2,7 mense per uur doodgemaak word? Dit is waansinnig.”
Dit is verder uiters kommerwekkend dat die Suid-Afrikaanse polisie die afgelope twee jaar geen nuwe rekrute kon aanstel nie terwyl ervare lede op strepe aftree. Dit laat Suid-Afrikaners, en veral boere op afgeleë plase, baie kwesbaar in ‘n land waar misdaad seëvier.
“Dit is onaanvaarbaar dat die polisie se begroting besnoei word – en die res aan wanbesteding en korrupsie verloor word – terwyl misdaad een van die knelpunte in die land is,” sê mnr. Geldenhuys. “Dit is ook vir ons nie genoeg dat Minister Cele sê die herstruktureringsprogram vorder goed nie. Kry effektiewe planne in plek, en gebruik die beskikbare fondse effektief om misdaad te bestry.”
TLU SA doen weer ‘n beroep op Pres. Ramaphosa om die polisie-departement van wanbestuur en korrupsie te suiwer deur (vir ‘n begin) van Minister Cele ontslae te raak. Steun gerus TLU SA se veldtog hieroor by hierdie skakel: https://www.tlu.co.za/tsamaea-cele/
5 760 murders in three months madness, says TLU SA
Trying to disguise the increase in crime by using the lockdown as an excuse fools no one in South Africa.
Today, the minister of police, Mr Bheki Cele, released the crime statistics for the first quarter of the 2021/2022* timeframe. He repeatedly emphasised that the double-digit increase does not truly reflect the crime situation because the COVID-19 pandemic skewed the statistics.
“Smart words do not change the fact that criminals murdered 5 760 people in three months in South Africa,” says Mr Henry Geldenhuys, the president of TLU SA. “Where on earth is it acceptable that criminals kill 2,7 people per hour? That is madness.”
Another extremely concerning issue is that the South African police could not appoint new recruits these past two years while experienced members retire in droves. This leaves South Africans, especially those on remote farms, very vulnerable in a country where crime thrives.
“Cuts to the police’s budget is unacceptable – and the rest is lost to misapplication and corruption – while crime in the country is at a critical point,” says Mr Geldenhuys. “It is not enough for Minister Cele to say the restructuring programme is progressing well. Instead, get effective plans in place and use the available funds to fight crime effectively.”
TLU SA again calls on Pres Ramaphosa to rid the police department of mismanagement and corruption by getting rid of Minister Cele – for a start. Support TLU SA’s campaign on this issue at this link: https://www.tlu.co.za/en/tsamaea-cele-eng/
*1 April to 30 June 2021
