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Insightful intervention
STATISTICS: MURDERS ON THE INCREASE IN THE PROVINCE
Forum to fight gang crime GARY VAN DYK @gvdcapejazz
Ophthalmologist Dr Aritha Du Bruyn bonds with Zoe Mjoli after performing a free eye test for her at the Athlone School for the Blind in BellvilleSouth. Du Bruyn, from Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital in Durban, took time out from her mentorship programme at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital to assist with free onsite testing for learners at the school. Her training programme is funded by Orbis Africa, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to saving sight in Africa. While Du Bruyn and staff from the Red Cross Children’s Hospital performed the tests, Orbis Africa staff kept the children entertained. Many of the children at the school have long standing visual impairment. (www.athloneschoolfortheb lind.org.za). For more information on Orbis Africa visit www.orbis.org.za or like their Face book page at www.facebook.com/ORBIS.SA
Curbing Gang activity must become a priority. This is the feeling from police and the public with news of the increase in gang related crimes. With the national annual crime statistics released by national police minister Nkosinathi Nhleko and national police commissioner Riah Phiyega last week, gang activity came under the spotlight with the Bishop Lavis, Delft and Elsies River clusters following closely on the heels of Manenberg where communities are most affected. These facts came to light after Western Cape provincial police commissioner Luitenant General Arno Lamoer revealed that 18% of murders in the province were gangrelated. Giving a breakdown of the province’s crime statistics earlier this week, he said the 12.8% increase in murder was a major concern. Lamoer said the majority of the murders occurred in Manenberg, Mitchell’s Plain, Bishop Lavis, Delft and Elsies River. “We are aware of the crime stats as it’s a great concern for us, especially the murders. I think we’re really trying to do our utmost to bring that figure down. But we can only bring it down with the assistance of all role players in our communities,” he said. Lamoer said gang-related violence was also to blame for a spike in other categories of crime such as attempted murder and drug-related offences. He believes the increased levels of crime in the Western Cape are driven by substance
abuse. About R122 million worth of drugs was confiscated in the 2013/2014 financial year, he said. Lamoer added that the recent spate of protests in the province had also drained police resources. “This really diverts my resources to different areas. When there are protest actions, roads are closed and we have to deploy police officers to go and look after the grievances of community members instead of fighting crime.” On Friday, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega released the annual crime statistics for the past financial year. According to the stats, the murder rate increased by 5% and attempted murder hiked 4.6%. House robberies increased by 7.4% and robberies with aggravating circumstances went up by 12.7%. There was an overall decrease of 4.9% in sexual assault cases, with a 6.3% decline in rape. In Elsies River police are already busy with plans to play their part in curbing gangsterism by initiating a project to empower youth at risk. Colonel Zingisa Manci, acting station commander, was not surprised that the statistics showed an increase in gang activity. “In recent months we have picked up that most suspects arrested in connection with gang related crimes have been youth,” she said. “The problem is that the older gangsters are using the youngsters thinking that they can avoid the judicial system when it comes to minors. V Continued on page 2.