Police are letting South Africans down by failing to detect crimes, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula said while vowing to put a stop to this.
Delivering his speech before the presentation of the 2016/2017 crime statistics on Tuesday morning, Mbalula said there were slight increases in crimes that are detected by the police.
“These crimes detected as a result of police action, experienced a reversal from a decrease of 0.3% in the preceding financial year to an increase of 9.6% [in 2016/2017].
"This increase is too small and is indicative of the lazy efforts by the police to detect such crime in order to make South Africa a safer place to live in,” he said.
Crimes detected as a result of police action including during roadblocks and SAPS intelligence operations.
Crimes under this category include the illegal possession of firearms, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and the use, possession or trade of illegal drugs.
Speaking in Parliament, Mbalula said there was a need for more police presence in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
He said his ministry has adopted a zero tolerance approach to crime.
“Violent criminals will receive proportional response to what they dish out… Today I am saying to criminal gangs, I am coming for you hard, enough is enough.”
He said measures were being put in place to ensure that police operate more efficiently including stabilising the crime intelligence unit and appointing strategic thinkers to police management.
“We have re-launched specialised units to focus on drugs, rape, violent threats and violent criminals. We are enhancing our technological capacity to match the evolved digital technology arena. Importantly have directed police to focus on the crime modus operandi to curb the multiplier effect of crime”.