Source: AUN News
8.2% fewer murders in LEAP deployment zones demonstrate the effectiveness of further devolving police authority.
According to today’s Crime Stats report for the first quarter of 2022, murder rates continue to decline in areas where the Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town are stationing LEAP officers, but they are disturbingly rising nationwide.
The fact that violent crime has decreased locally in the areas where we are intervening is conclusive evidence that the paradigm of increased policing authority at the provincial and local levels is adequate.
The station-level statistics make a significant discovery: Except for one station in KZN, all the Top 30 Murder Stations in the Country are LEAP deployment areas.
The statistics for each region are similarly encouraging:
Murders decreased by 42,9% in Mitchells Plain.
Kraaifontein saw a 16,4% drop in homicides.
Khayelitsha saw a 14,3% decrease in murders, falling from the top 10 to number 16 overall.
Murders have reduced by 13.8% in Harare.
These statistics show a promising trend in favor of additional policing power for provinces and cities, even while there is still much to be done and much too much violent crime.
We have urged Minister Bheki Cele to (1) adequately equip local Metro Police and law enforcement officials with the tools they need to combat crime and conduct investigations and (2) decentralize SAPS management.According to current statistics, this should go forward, and the Minister shouldn’t obstruct it.
Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network
