Rising Eastern Cape murder rates 'strike fear into the hearts and minds of people': DA
The high murder rate and increases in carjacking‚ truck hijacking and other crimes in the Eastern Cape highlighted the need for the South African Police Service to have a fresh approach to reducing crime‚ the DA in the Eastern Cape said on Friday. Crime statistics released by the police showed that the murder rate in the Eastern Cape was up 9.9% from 3 321 in 2014/15 to 3 649 in 2015/16‚ carjacking was up 24.3% from 769 in 2014/15 to 956 in 2015/15‚ and truck hijacking was up 58.8% from 34 in 2014/15 to 54 in 2015/16.“These figures continue to strike fear into the hearts and minds of people when it comes to issues of their personal safety‚” DA shadow MEC for safety and security in the Eastern Cape‚ Bobby Stevenson‚ said in a statement.He said to make great strides in winning the war against crime‚ police must embrace modern technology that was available.“This technology includes drones‚ CCTV cameras‚ number plate recognition cameras‚ WhatsApp groups and available technology such as Shotspotter that can triangulate gunshots to within three meters in a community.”Stevenson said the police service needed to enter into memorandums of understanding with municipalities in the Eastern Cape to establish partnerships to reduce crime...
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