Adjunkspeaker, die Citizens Council for Public Security, CCSP, 'n nie-regeringsorganisasie in Mexiko, het gister bekend gemaak dat hulle navorsing bevind het dat Kaapstad die vyfde dodelikste stad in die wreld is.
Syfers toon dat 62 mense per 100 000 inwoners in Kaapstad jaarliks vermoor word. Bagdad, die hoofstad van Irak, het 40 moorde per 100 000 inwoners. Dis 'n land met 'n oorlog, maar met minder moorde as Suid-Afrika, waar ons 'n stabiele demokrasie probeer vestig.
Navorsing deur die Suid-Afrikaanse misdaadkenner, mnr Antony Altbeker, steun die bevinding van die CCSP. Sy navorsing toon dat Suid-Afrika onder die twee of drie toplande met die hoogste moordsyfer ter wreld is.
In die afwesigheid van die bekendmaking van gereelde en betroubare statistiek deur die SAPS, word persepsies in die buiteland geskep wat die land baie skade aandoen. Die Minister van Polisie het sy besluit dat misdaad statistiek nie so gereeld beskikbaar gestel moet word nie, probeer regverdig en steur hom nie aan die internasionale gemeenskap se persepsie van geweld in Suid-Afrika nie. Hierdie persepsies word omgesit in die feit dat die internasionale gemeenskap al hoe minder in Suid-Afrika gaan bel.
Indien misdaadsyfers meer gereeld deur die SAP bekend gemaak word, kan hierdie verkeerde persepsies gekeer en reggestel word. Navorsing toon dus dat Suid-Afrika gevaarliker is as 'n land waar daar tans 'n oorlog is. Die regering slaag tans nie daarin om sy verantwoordelik teen die landsburgers na te kom en hulle veilig te hou nie. Ek dank u. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Dr C P MULDER (FF Plus): Deputy Speaker, the Citizens Council for Public Security, CCSP, a nongovernmental organisation in Mexico, announced yesterday that according to their research Cape Town is the fifth deadliest city in the world.
Figures show that 62 people per 100 000 residents are murdered in Cape Town annually. Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, has 40 murders per 100 000 residents. The country is waging a war, but it has fewer murders than is the case in South Africa, where we are trying to establish a stable democracy.
Research by a South African crime expert, Mr Antony Altbeker, supports the finding of the CCSP. His research shows that South Africa rates amongst the top two or three countries with the highest murder rate in the world.
In the absence of the announcement of regular and reliable statistics by the SAPS, perceptions are created abroad that cause a lot of damage to the country. The Minister of Police has tried to justify his decision not to announce crime statistics regularly, and he does not care about the perception of the international community of violence in South Africa. These perceptions translate into the fact that the international community will be investing less in South Africa.
If the SAPS were to announce crime statistics more regularly, these inaccurate perceptions could be prevented and rectified. Research therefore supports the fact that South Africa is at present more dangerous than a country that is at war. Currently the government is not succeeding in its responsibility towards the citizens of this country to keep them safe. I thank you.]