The tide against crime is turning.
These were the words of police minister Nathi Mthethwa, speaking at the release of the 2010/2011 crime statistics in Pretoria this morning.
This after numbers dropped in murder, attempted murder, hijacking, assault, and house and cash-in-transit robberies.
“Police, joined by society, are gaining the upper hand against vicious criminals,” said Mthethwa.
According to the numbers:
- there were 15 940 murders in the last year, the lowest numbers since the dawn of the democratic South Africa;
- attempted murder dropped by 12.2 percent;
- assault dropped by 4.5 percent;
- house robberies dropped by 10.1 percent;
- car hijackings decreased by 23.6 percent;
- cash-in-transit heists dropped by 18.7 percent;
- bank robberies decreased by 58.1 percent.
However, the minister admitted that ATM blasts had increased, as had commercial and drug-related crimes.
But with 49 of the country's 50 most wanted arrested, Mthethwa said that “victory against crime is now an achievable goal”.
“However, for as long as young children are still under bondage of crime and drugs; for as long as businesses are robbed, for as long as women are abused and raped, for as long as South Africans are mugged and hijacked – none of us can rest.” – The Star