News24.com | Crime stats: Cele takes exception to MPs suggesting that gangs have infiltrated the police

• Opposition MPs questioned the validity of the police's crime statistics.
• The stats again showed an increase in violent crime in the second quarter.
• Cele took exception to claims that gangsters had infiltrated the police.

Opposition MPs doubt the veracity of the "depressing and worrying" crime statistics the police presented to the Portfolio Committee on Police on Wednesday morning, which showed an increase in violent crime between July and September this year, compared to the same period last year.

Police Minister Bheki Cele took exception to some of the MPs' remarks, which suggested that gangs had infiltrated the police.

According to the police's presentation to the committee on Wednesday, murders increased by 841 to 7 004 over the three months, compared to the 6 163 of the previous year, an increase of 13.6%.

Sexual offences increased by 1 319, an increase of 11%. Attempted murders increased by 19.4%, assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm by 15.8%, common assault by 19.5%, common robbery by 25%, and robbery with aggravating circumstances by 22%.

The sexual offences include 10 590 rapes, which were reported in the three months, an increase of 1 034, or 10.8%.

READ | Kidnappings doubled nationally: over 4 000 cases reported to police from July to September

Furthermore, the murder statistics for the period include the murders of 989 women, 92 more than the same period for the previous year.

Also, in this period, 315 children were murdered, an increase of 9.8%.

Cele said this was worrying - but added that, because around 50% of rapes happened in the residences of perpetrators or victims, such crimes were "unpoliceable".

The chairperson of the committee, ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson, said sexual offences were increasing, with close to 11 000 rapes within 90 days, meaning there were about 120 rapes reported daily.

Of the children murdered, she said: "This is very concerning."

She also remarked that there were 83 rapes at educational facilities.

"It is very clear that our society must change," Joemat-Pettersson said.

ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe described the statistics as "depressing and worrying" and the murders of children as "heartbreaking".

"One asks the question of whether we will ever live in a society where criminals are not in control in some streets. Because everything is increasing, serious crimes is increasing. Should we conclude that the police are failing? Should we conclude that we'll forever live with these criminals causing havoc in our communities?" he said.

NFP MP Munzoor Shaik-Emam said: "Let us for once at least admit that we have lost the war on crime."

He said crime was "psychologically draining" on South Africans.  

Several opposition MPs questioned the validity of the statistics presented, mentioning that the Auditor-General recently raised discrepancies between what the police publicised and what was reported by police stations.

"I question the correctness of the crime statistics," said FF-Plus leader Pieter Groenewald. "I don't see this as a true reflection of the crime situation in South Africa."

DA MP Andrew Whitfield agreed that most South Africans would say the statics presented wasn't an accurate representation of the situation.

"It is very clear the South African government and all its relevant departments – not just the police - but all of its relevant departments, is failing to contain the social dysfunctionality, which is one of the root causes of crime and the police themselves are becoming overwhelmed by criminals who are brazenly attacking police stations, killing police officers and operating with impunity," said Whitfield.

"This environment occurs, chairperson, because we don't get accurate figures, we don't have a trust relationship where we trust the information provided to us by the minister."

DA MP Okkie Terblanche, a former police general, said: "How can we really trust it as a true reflection of the situation on the ground?"

According to Shaik-Emam, crimes were underreported.

"Many people are not reporting - that is how little faith people have in the police," he said.

Cele said he disagreed, as Statistics South Africa helped the police to prepare the crime statistics.

"We have a leg to stand, because it is the Statistics SA we work with," he said, adding that they were paying attention to the issues raised by the Auditor-General, which some members had referred to.

IFP MP Zandile Majozi said some police members used roadblocks to elicit bribes, while Terblanche said gangs had infiltrated the police.

"The police itself has become a crime syndicate," said Terblanche.

"I'm going to choose my words carefully: We are learning that gangs penetrated the police. So how can the police be trusted? I'm not surprised by this performance."

READ | Winde mulls inquiry into alleged collusion between gangs and cops

Terblanche was referring to a recent Western Cape High Court ruling on the bail appeal of two men accused of gang murders in Cape Town, in which Judge Daniel Thulare said the evidence suggested that gangs had infiltrated the Western Cape police all the way to the top brass.

Cele took exception to both remarks.

"This thing of police corruption, and police penetrated by criminals, and that based on the judgment of the Western Cape, is wrong," said Cele.

He referred the committee to paragraph 70 of the ruling: "The evidence suggests not only a capture of some lower ranking officers in the SAPS.

"The evidence suggests that the senior management of the SAPS in the province has been penetrated to the extent that the 28s gang has access to the table where the provincial commissioner of the SAPS in the Western Cape sits with his senior managers and lead them in the study of crime, develop crime prevention strategies and decide on tactics and approach to the safety and security of inhabitants of the Western cape.

"This includes penetration of and access to the sanctity of the reports by specialised units like the Anti-Gang Unit and Crime Intelligence, to the provincial commissioner.

"The evidence further shows that the 28s gang and the Mobsters, in particular, are breathing heavily on the necks of public prosecutors who guide the investigation of organised crime and institute criminal proceedings against its members. Such prosecutors are under a constant and permanent threat to their lives and that of their close families.

Cele said: "The judge didn't talk about the police, only that there are corrupt there. He talks about the corrupt police that are colluding with gangs there, he talks about judiciary, he talks about courts, he talks about prosecution that have been all of them penetrated by gangsterism.

"It's insulting, it's insensitive, police are bad, but a few of them - and many, many members of police are doing work honestly, protecting, serving indeed!"

He said the 140 000 people in prison proved that the police were doing their jobs.

READ | Deputy police minister tells Parliament some officers 'have relationships with gangsters'

In contrast to Cele, his deputy, Cassel Mathale, earlier this month told the National Council of Provinces the police had a major problem with officers working with criminals.

"Some have been arrested and sentenced, as we speak. We have zero tolerance towards members (officers) who work with criminals. There was an issue raised about police officers having associations with gangsters. It's true. There are some who have relationships with gangsters.

"We have taken action against those who are found to be working with gangsters or those working in a manner that is criminal. The service is at the disposal of the people of South Africa," he said.

Due to time constraints, the committee couldn't engage Cele and the top brass thoroughly on the crime statistics. This will be done at a later date.