With murder having increased to 275 cases from 243 the previous year, an increase of 13,2%, and common robbery having increased by 29,6% to 574 cases. Violent crime is out of control in the province.

A 65% increase in sexual offenses, and a 53,9% increase in drug-related crimes to 1659 cases, paints a picture of a community betrayed by our police forces.

The DA has warned for several years that the under-resourcing of police, lack of SAPS officers, and the total neglect of police stations would eventually lead to crime getting out of control. A stellar example is the Harrismith police station serving a population of 180 000, with two satellite police stations no longer open due to manpower shortages. This large police station also has no suitable generator to allow proper services to be rendered during blackouts or power outages.

The beleaguered Park Road Police Station in Mangaung, which has been ‘under construction’ by a series of contractors since 2017, and where services could hardly be rendered, is now placed at number 5 in the top 30 stations in the country for serious crimes reported.

The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, and top management of SAPS bear sole responsibility for this catastrophic situation which they were warned about and failed to address timeously.

Minister Cele must be fired. He has demonstrated that he does not have the capacity to lead SAPS nor address the crime crisis in SA.

South Africa needs a well-resourced and trained police service, under professional top management, led by a Minister with the expertise and policing background to lead such a vital organisation.

Statement supplied.