Commission for Gender Equality raises concerns over increase in contact crimes, calls for the strengthening of community policing

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) calls for the strengthening of community policing as a tool for dealing with rising crime levels.

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Published Sep 6, 2021

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DURBAN – The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has expressed concern over the rise in crime statistics, especially gender-based crime.

According to the crime statistics released by the SAPS on August 29, categories of contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, sexual offences and all categories of assault recorded a staggering 60.6% increase, compared to the same period last year.

“The dramatic increase in contact crimes is of particular concern for the Commission, given that these are the types of incidents where gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) tend to be prevalent against women and girls, including members of the LGBTIQ community,” said spokesperson Javu Baloyi.

She noted that Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, had pointed out correctly that the dramatic increases in contact crimes during quarter 1 in 2021/22, reflected the impact of the Covid-19 Level 5 hard lockdown regulations which were in place during that period, but stressed that this was merely cold comfort.

“The reality is that comparisons of contact crime figures during quarter 1 over the past five years reveal that contact crimes have been on an upward trajectory,” she said.

  • In 2017/18, a total of 140 821 incidents of contact crimes were recorded,
  • In 2018/19, a total of 141 115 were recorded.
  • An increase was noted in 2019/20 where 144 267 incidents were recorded.
  • In 2021/22 the figures have increased yet again, to 145 120. This means that the drop that was recorded in 2020/21 was a clear anomaly when the overall figure dropped to 90 376 – the lowest figure recorded in the five-year period. This was an unusual year, due mainly to the Covid-19 hard lockdown nation-wide restrictions,” she added

Baloyi said the 2021/22 year was unusual due mainly to the Covid-19 hard lockdown nation-wide restrictions.

The commission noted that during lockdown, the closing down of taverns, liquor outlets, night clubs, sporting activities and places of entertainment was an important factor in the drop in contact crimes as these places are widely considered fertile grounds for the use and abuse of alcohol and other substances inevitably lead to increased incidents of contact crimes.

“The CGE also continues to highlight the lack of gender disaggregated data in SAPS reporting of crime statistics as well as the fact that the statistics do not include gender-based violence as a crime category, especially in a country where gender-based violence has reached epidemic levels. This is a severe practical impediment to understanding the patterns and scale of such crimes to enable effective planning and appropriate resource allocation,” she said.

Baloyi continued said the country remains crime-ridden, with limited capacity, especially in relation to crime intelligence/detection, investigative capacity and prosecutorial efficacy, among law enforcement agencies to make an impact on the persistently high levels of crimes.

According to the commission the adequate resourcing, capacity building and effectiveness of community policing should be prioritised as part of a long-term community policing strategy for bringing down levels of crime in the country, on a consistent and long-term basis.

The commission appealed to anyone who knows about, or experiences acts of sexual violence and abuse to use our Toll-Free Number 0800 007 709 to report such cases.

THE MERCURY