Calls for Police Minister Bheki Cele's Resignation: 'Crime Statistics Are Abnormal'

• The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for the dismissal of Bheki Cele as the Minister of Police
• The party's demands are on the heels of the crime statistics covering the first quarter of 2021/22
• There were notable increases in violent and contact crimes, including house and business robberies as well as hijackings
• The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), meanwhile, described the stats as extremely worrying and that urgent intervention was needed for SAPS

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is making a loud call for the dismissal of Minister of Police Bheki Cele on the heels of the announcement of the crime statistics covering the first quarter of 2021/22 on Friday.

Cele released the quarterly crime figures covering the period 1 April to 30 June this year, in Pretoria, SABC News reports.

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There were notable increases in violent and contact crimes, including house and business robberies and hijackings.

SAPS failing to protect citizens

DA Member of Parliament (MP), Andrew Whitfield, said the latest crime stats show the South African Police Service (SAPS) is failing in its mandate to protect the country's citizens.

“During the period April to June, there were 181 farm attacks, over 10 000 people raped this is not normal, something has to change," said Whitfield.

"President [Cyril Ramaphosa] must make a decision – he has to fire Bheki Cele. Cele is presiding over the collapse of the police service. The situation cannot continue," added Whitfield.

The South African reported that Whitfield refused to concede to Cele's point that the lockdown ensured the statistics would be higher. The former was quoted saying:

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“The Minister today sought to whitewash the stats by claiming they were 'high and unnatural' as a result of the lockdown. The prevalence of violent crime, however, is still shocking and abnormal,” Whitfield stressed.

Ongoing SAPS management crises to blame

Meanwhile, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has described the stats as "extremely worrying." MP Zandile Majozi said the stats are a shocking foregone conclusion due to an ongoing SAPS management crisis.

"Contact crimes such as murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, and all categories of assault registered a 60.6 per cent increase," said Majozi in a statement.

"These shocking numbers reflect a SAPS management in complete disarray, with police officers executing orders that have no real impact on the daily lives of our people.

A total of 5 701 murder cases were reported in the first quarter. Majozi said this is unacceptable and called for deep introspection within SAPS' management.

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"For that many people to be killed within three months cannot be considered normal in any society," added Majozi.

"To worsen matters, an additional 4 701 rape cases in our country clearly show that we need desperate and urgent intervention, both societal changes as well as new strategies for SAPS and all law enforcement agencies."

Video shows protestors seize, piggyback SAPS van in Middelburg’s Rockdale Township

In related news, Briefly News recently reported that a video that shows a group of protestors casually piggybacking a SAPS van in the Middelburg township of Rockdale in Mpumalanga is doing the rounds on social media.

Protests have broken out in several Mpumalanga areas, including Middelburg, reportedly over increased tariffs by the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality.

Unhappy residents in Mhluzi, west of Middelburg, went on the rampage and allegedly torched a bus and a truck as they voiced their dissatisfaction over the increases.

Source: Briefly News