Speaker, the ANC welcomes the release of the national crime statistics for the past fiscal year by the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, signifying a tremendous decline in the murder rate for that period. Murder decreased by 8,6% from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010.
There has been a noticeable decline in crime in other categories. Crimes such as car hijacking, attempted murder, aggravated robberies, street robberies, cash-in-transit heists and bank robberies all showed a decrease.
Whilst there may have been increases in crime at nonresidential premises, we are further gratified to note that in almost all major business sectors there has been a significant decrease in robberies.
In dealing with issues of crime, the ANC proceeds from the premise that the rising quality of life also means improvement in the safety and security of citizens in their homes and environments - where they live, work and engage in extramural activities. However, the ANC is happy and encouraged by the Minister's resolve to continue to fight crime and to reduce the figures even more.
We also acknowledge the role played by our communities by creating a favourable environment for our police to execute their responsibilities. These successes were not going to be possible if our communities were not part of our crime-fighting strategy. Together we can do more. [Applause.]