Crime stats reveal Eastern Cape a war zone

Crime stats reveal Eastern Cape a war zone

The Eastern Cape is in crisis. The latest crime statistics, released today, for both the fourth quarter of 2023/24 and the first quarter of 2024/25, show that the province is a war zone, as alarming trends in violent crime continue unabated.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the chairperson of the Community Safety Portfolio, Tumeka Gaya, to request that she summon the provincial commissioner of the police, Lieutenant General Nomthetheleli Mene, to account for the quarterly crime statistics.

The sixth term handover report identified the need for the provincial commissioner to present the crime statistics to the committee, and I will ask the chairperson to ensure that this is implemented.

The latest statistics show that urgent intervention is needed now, more than ever, as our province is a war zone. There is a war taking place in our streets, and our law-abiding citizens are the casualties.

In just six months, the Eastern Cape has experienced the tragic loss of 2,328 lives due to violent crime. This surge in violence has left countless families shattered and communities living in fear.

The crisis extends beyond murder, with sexual offences in the province also at disturbing levels.

There were 3, 768 sexual offences reported in the six months under review. The Eastern Cape continues to record the highest prevalence of sexual offences in the country, with 25.2 per 100,000 people affected in the fourth quarter and 22.1 per 100,000 in the first quarter.

This is an ongoing crisis. The brutal murder of Nombeko Thobigunya by her boyfriend, Bantubenkosi Siqotyana, in Thembeni village in the Zandukwana administrative area outside Libode, is a stark reminder of the violence that plagues our communities. Siqotyana was recently sentenced to life in prison after he took Nombeko’s life, desecrating her body by chopping it up and stuffing the parts into pit latrines.

Adding to this grim picture, carjackings have surged by 46% in the fourth quarter, with 534 cases reported, followed by 513 cases in the first quarter, reflecting a 30% increase. Truck hijackings also remain a significant concern, with 117 trucks hijacked in the last six months, further exacerbating the region’s economic and social challenges.

To address this crisis, immediate and decisive action is required. We call on law enforcement agencies to intensify their efforts in combating violent crime and ensuring the safety of our communities.

The DA will continue to fight for additional resources to be made available to our police services in the province and for critical interventions that have been promised to materialise.

We cannot allow these statistics to become mere numbers. Each figure represents a person whose life has been deeply affected by crime. We must work together to reverse this tide of violence and restore safety and dignity to the people of the Eastern Cape.

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