Hon House Chair, it is understood that the primary task of the government is to ensure the protection of its citizens through security. This is done through the provision of an internal law enforcement agency of the state. While we recognise that the issue to
protect citizens' lives and property rests within the mandate of the South African Police Service and other relevant law enforcement agencies, we believe that multiple departments play a role in achieving a more secure country for all.
A recent and personal encounter with the effects of violent crimes recently, a dear friend of mine was stabbed to death while walking home in Tshepisong. This was all because his attackers wanted to steal his cellphone and his money. The person showed a complete disregard of his life. If there was availability a police station in the area and patrolling was taking place, a young man's future would have been spared.
We find that crime occur as a result of several areas within our SA Police Service, SAPS, this discourages victims from reporting crimes. This is as a result of a little to no confidentiality when reporting cases. Some areas lack the sheer resources to sufficiently deal with crimes and in some instances victims need to accompany police to identify their attackers, which leaves them vulnerable to further attack. Victims also reportedly
have to walk long distances after they have been attacked to find a police station. In the Diepsloot Township, victims must navigate through narrow and unlit roads to find the police station. This leaves them open to further attacks by other perpetrators and police are often unable to respond as they cannot drive their vehicles through the narrow gaps.
If we are serious about reducing violent crimes, we must also be honest to ourselves and recognise that other sectors contribute as well. The public needs to be more educated about the channels available to them when a crime is committed against them and if their case is not handled correctly, they must be made aware of the appropriate recourse. Education and unemployment also plays a vital role in either adding or reducing violent crimes. Students who drop out of school or university often resort to violent crimes as they are unable to easily find employment due to the current high unemployment rate in the country.
Without wanting to justify these acts, we see that unemployment breeds crime. People who are unemployed turn
to crime as they have little to no means of survival. These are some of the challenges and gaps our country is facing today. Criminals knows that these exist which encourages them to exploit the opportunity to commit crimes.
What can be done? The Inkatha Freedom Party believes that there are some measures that could be put in place to curb the escalating violence in the state. We call on the Minister of Police to; handle matters of police officers receiving bribes with severity, to ensure that there are repercussions on those who protect criminals, to have maximum turnaround times for resolving cases - not leaving cases uninvestigated for long periods of time, to be active and visible on social media in order to keep up with criminal trends taking place and follow up with members of the public who cannot receive assistance from the SAPS and to educate the public on channels to follow when reporting crimes.
We call on the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development to increase minimum sentences on heinous crimes committed. We call on the Ministries of Women
Youth and Persons with Disabilities in the Presidency and Social Development to ensure that women are fully integrated into society in order to eradicate the mentality of dominance over women amongst men. We call on the Ministries of Small Business Development and Basic Education to create functional programmes that will impart skills to the uneducated in order to start their small businesses to survive. [Time expired.] Thank you.
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