Durban - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Bheki Ntuli, believes that an integrated approach to crime prevention through a stronger collaboration between police and all crime fighting structures will form part of our robust intervention strategy in order to put an end to the rising crime scourge in the province.
Ntuli said an increase in police visibility is central to his department's strategic approach to ensure effective policing.
Ntuli addressed the media during a briefing on a provincial turnaround strategy to combat crime and taxi violence in KZN.
Ntuli said murder, common assault and sexual offences had increased in KZN. He noted that the province had recorded among the highest numbers of murder, carjacking and sexual offences as per the crime stats, which were recently announced by national police minister, General Bheki Cele.
He said this was concerning.
The crimes which saw the largest increases were murder (up by 10.6%), common assault (up by 5.9%) and sexual offences (up by 5.4%).
"The fact that violent crimes such as the heinous acts of murder, sexual offences and assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm have increased means that we must intensify our efforts to rid our society of all forms of criminality," he said.
Ntuli said murder had increased year on year in KZN over a five-year period. He added that the present figure is the highest in the last decade.
"The problematic areas in respect of murder are Inanda, Umlazi, Plessislaer, Mpumalanga, KwaMashu E, Marriannhill, Cato Manor, Ezakheni, Verulam and KwaDabeka. Analysis conducted by the SAPS has indicated that murders occur mainly over weekends with alcohol and drugs continuously playing a major role in incidents," he said.
Ntuli said it cannot be business as usual when KZN led in various crime categories.
“As such the police management have been directed to invest all necessary resources to make sure that we eradicate crime,” Ntuli said.
IOL