Community Safety Committee applauds Gauteng SAPS & law enforcement agencies for the reduction of crime in the province

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety applauds the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other law enforcement agencies for achieving a notable reduction in crime during the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year compared to the same period last year.

This marks the second consecutive quarter in the current financial year where crime statistics presented by Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni show a decline in overall crime incidents in Gauteng.

This significant progress highlights the commitment of SAPS and its partners to ensuring the safety and security of all Gauteng residents.

Key Achievements:
Gauteng recorded a decrease in 15 of the 17 community-reported serious crimes, making it the only province in the country to achieve such a milestone. Crime incidents dropped by 6,525 cases, reflecting a 6.0% reduction in overall crime compared to the same period last year.

Contact crimes—which include offenses such as murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), common assault, and aggravated robbery—decreased by 7.6%, with notable declines in murder, attempted murder, and assault-related offenses.

The province also saw reductions in property-related crimes:
• Arson and malicious property damage decreased by 10.7%.

The Committee, however, notes with concern the increase in sexual offenses, particularly rape and sexual assault, as well as a rise in theft, commercial crimes, and shoplifting. These categories require urgent attention and continued collaboration between law enforcement and communities to reverse the trend.

Under Operation Shanela, law enforcement agencies made 22,243 arrests, including:
• 69 for murder
• 102 for aggravated robbery
• 1,115 for assault GBH and 966 for common assault
• 3,251 for drug-related offenses
• 3,149 for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• 294 for illegal possession of firearms/ammunition

Significant recoveries include:
• 238 firearms (including 22 rifles, 5 shotguns, and 211 pistols)
• 3,480 rounds of ammunition
• 138 stolen or hijacked vehicles
• 173,117 kilograms of drugs
• 23,118 kilograms of stolen infrastructure cables
• 487,024 counterfeit or illicit goods

The above figures reflect a positive step towards ensuring safer communities across Gauteng and further bear testament to the diligent efforts of Police Officers, strategic interventions such as Operation Shanela, and partnerships with communities to combat crime.

The Committee commends the ongoing collaboration between SAPS, community policing forums, private security, and other stakeholders. These partnerships have played a pivotal role in strengthening crime prevention initiatives and fostering trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

While these improvements are encouraging, the Committee emphasizes the importance of sustaining the momentum.

We urge SAPS to remain steadfast in addressing all forms of crime, particularly gender-based violence, drug-related offenses, and organized crime. Furthermore, the Committee calls on communities to continue supporting the Police by reporting criminal activity and participating in safety programs.

For interview requests with the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee please contact: Mr Thebe Khumalo on 072 266 1021 email: TKhumalo@gpl.gov.za

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