Despite a notable decrease in serious crimes, Kraaifontein remains one of the most dangerous suburbs in the Western Cape, ranking fifth in the province and 12th nationally.
This comes as 1 576 serious crimes were reported by the community, reflecting an 11,5% decrease, according to crime statistics for the third quarter of 2024 (January to March) released by police minister Senzo Mchunu on 23 May.
It pointed to a broad decline in reported crimes across most categories, offering a measure of reassurance to the community.
According to the figures, murder cases dropped to 45, down by six compared to the previous reporting period. Sexual offences also fell significantly, with 55 cases reported, 23 fewer than before. Attempted murders were recorded at 18 cases.
Common assault dropped by 27%, with 237 incidents reported; and assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm also declined, with 126 cases, 20% less than the previous period.
Robbery figures also show notable reductions.
Common robberies were reported at 40 cases, while carjackings dropped by 12 cases, with eight incidents recorded. Robberies at residential premises fell sharply, down 19 cases to 16, and business robberies halved to just four cases.
Property-related crimes followed the same downward trend. Home burglaries fell to 107 cases, a drop of 23 incidents, while business burglaries were down by 11 cases, with 10 incidents recorded. Theft of motor vehicles stood at 29 cases and theft out of or from motor vehicles totaled 63 cases.
During the three months, a total of 766 crimes were detected as a direct result of police action. Among these, drug-related offenses accounted for the majority, with 696 cases identified. Additionally, 56 individuals were apprehended for drinking under the influence, while 14 cases involved the possession of illegal firearms.
Violent crime down in province
Western Cape minister of police oversight and community safety, Anroux Marais, cautiously welcomed the 4% decrease in the province’s murder rate in the fourth quarter compared with the same period last year.
“We are heartened by the decrease … however, the numbers are still worryingly high, and 10 of Western police stations were among the top 30 stations in the country with high murder rates. Despite these gains, we all remain gravely concerned about the rate of violent crime in the province, the high proportion of gang violence, and the impact of violence on individuals and communities,” she said in a statement.
In his turn, Premier Allan Winde said the only way to tackle crime more effectively is by securing the policing resources and authority form national government.
“We need more boots on the ground, greater devolved authority over policing, and deeper, results-driven collaboration with national government to truly tackle crime. Over and above dealing with crime itself we need to accelerate and more urgently implement policies that drive economic growth and job creation. We also need to support families and children at risk and ensure that these youth are supported to remain in school and are offered various learning opportunities,” said Winde.
He acknowledged the important role that community structures like Community Policing Forums and neighbourhood watches, as well as other community structures, play in preventing violence.
