By Simon Nare
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has admitted that crime intelligence is weak and needs to be strengthened to be able to trace and intercept criminal activities.
Mchunu told journalists at the announcement of crime stats on Monday that the police crime intelligence functionality as well as the quality of information that police should follow left a lot to be desired.
The minister said police needed to be part of the conversations that criminals were having in planning and executing their plans, but this was not the case.
“We have said crime intelligence is at work, but it does need to be capacitated. We should be part of the conversations that criminals are having. We should see them on their to executing their plans. That is when we will say our crime intelligence has reached levels that we would want,” he said.
Mchunu revealed that crime in Gauteng has decreased considerably followed by KwaZulu-Natal, while it had increased in the North West. Limpopo was considered the safest province to live in.
He added that most crime was on the decrease in Gauteng, except for business crime.
Murder, rape and robbery were still the most common committed crimes with over 6000 people killed in the last three months.
Most of the murders recorded were as a result of arguments with the Eastern Cape registering more than any other province followed by KZN. The Western Cape registered more gang-related murders than any other province.
The most taxi-related murders were in Gauteng at 27 out of the 44 deaths, followed by Western Cape and then the Eastern Cape.
Over 3000 murders were reported to have taken place at public places with KZN registering most them followed by Western Cape and the Eastern Cape.
Eastern Cape recorded the most murders that took place where liquor was sold, followed by Mpumalanga and the Western Cape.
Guns were the most used weapons in committing the crimes, with the knives be the second weapon of choice.
During the quarter, 21 police officers were murdered – 16 were killed off duty and five were murdered while working.
The Eastern Cape recorded the most rapes followed by Free State and KZN.
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