Cape Town - Police have recorded an increase in kidnapping cases over the last few months, with the latest crime statistics showing a rise in extortion and ransom cases.
Major-General Norman Sekhukhune of the SAPS told MPs on Friday that kidnapping cases increased between January and March this year.
Sekhukhune said the top 10 stations where kidnapping cases were reported, were in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.
He said for the three month period, 78 kidnappings for ransom were recorded by the police.
He said Gauteng had the highest number of ransom cases, with 32 kidnappings between January and March. It was followed by Limpopo, with 10 cases, Free State, with nine cases, KwaZulu-Natal, with eight cases, the Western Cape reported six cases, and in the Eastern Cape there were also four cases. In Mpumalanga, there were two cases of ransom reported, and in the North West province, there were four cases, and in the Northern Cape, police recorded three ransom cases.
Sekhukhune also said there were 33 extortion cases recorded during this three month period.
He said 20 of the extortion cases were in Gauteng and four in KwaZulu-Natal. The rest of the cases were reported in the other provinces.
MPs called on the police to act decisively on these crime levels as they were becoming very serious.
They said more needed to be done to protect communities.
Police Minister Bheki Cele had earlier promised more efforts to rein in criminals, and the budget that was allocated would be given to the top 30 police stations.
Political Bureau