EFF STATEMENT ON LIMPOPO CRIME STATISTICS IN SECOND QUARTER OF
2022/23 FINANCIAL YEAR.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Limpopo notes with disappointment, the
shocking rise of contact crimes including rape in Limpopo from 8265 to 10175 cases,
following the release of the provincial crime statistics of the 2nd quarter of 2022/23
financial year on Friday, 02 December 2022.
The level of crime in the province is appalling and hard to ignore, as rape takes its toll
on defenceless women. This after rape cases rose by 15.5% while attempted murder
cases increased by 1,6%. In actual fact, the stats show that SAPS Limpopo dismally
failed on its duty to prevent crime and protect women against GBV.
It is a huge cause for concern that 858 women were assaulted with intent to cause
grievous bodily harm while 46 others were murderer between July and September this
year, compared to the same period last year. More attention and resources must be
deployed to Thohoyandou, as the Thohoyandou police station is amongst the top 30
police stations across the province with the highest number of rape, murder and sexual
offences.
According to the stats, murder cases increased by 16.6% with 51 cases as a result of
mob justice, this is a mere diversion and an excuse for policing that has deteriorated.
If there was effective visible policing in various communities there wouldn’t be murders
emanating from mob justice, mob justice is driven by residents’ lack of confidence in
the police.
Although the stats paint a grim picture, they also reaffirm the EFF’s long-standing view
that Limpopo’s safety and wellbeing are increasingly at risk, owing to the leaderless
ANC government which is bloated with incapacity and mediocrity. We are worried
about communities that are increasingly at risk to falling prey to criminals and violence
due to the ANC-led government’s failure to ensure our safety.
The EFF urges the Limpopo Government to deploy maximum resources in order to
curb the scourge of GBVF. Violence against women and girls remains the most
pervasive human rights violation in the province. Already heightened by the leniency
of our justice system that gives perpetrators of GBV bail before they even appear in
court, the prevalence of GBVF is a major blow to human life.
We are painfully reminded of Maria Letsoalo aged 40 who was brutally murdered by
her boyfriend in Mankweng after the perpetrator was released on R500 bail on the
same day of his arrest, despite having threatened to kill his girlfriend.
The EFF held a picket outside the Mankweng Police Station on 22nd of June 2022,
demanding the suspension of the prosecutor and police officer who facilitated the
granting of bail to Matome Matlakala, because Letsoalo’s life could have been saved
had her killer not been released on bail.
The EFF has a zero-tolerance approach on GBVF and crime generally, in that context
we seek the intervention of all relevant authorities including National Prosecuting
Authority, the South African Human Rights Commission, the Public Protector and
SAPS to utilise all possible resources to create a safer Limpopo.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, can only reach
its full potential if this call is heeded soon enough.
