Shortage of police officers a major concern
In Gauteng alone, 63 women were murdered in just 30 days.
According to Michele Clarke, the DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Community Safety, more police officers are needed to curb crime in Gauteng.
“There is a serious shortage of police officers in Gauteng, making it impossible to curb violence against women and children in our province.
“In Gauteng alone, 63 women were murdered in just 30 days, between April 1 and May 21. In these cases only 31 arrests have been made,” said Clarke.
“Rapid urbanisation has resulted in an increased number of people in the province – yet the ANC-led government has done nothing to recruit more police officers. The number of police officers decreased drastically from 2012 to 2016, while the population has increased rapidly,” she continued.
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The police:population ratio has decreased from 282 per 100 000 citizens to 196 per 100 000 citizens, according to Gauteng Department of Community Safety.
In 2012, the ratio of police officers to citizens was 1:355, in 2013 it was 1:417, in 2014 and 2015 it stood at 1:472, and in 2016 it was 1:510.
“Police officers often shoulder the blame for the failure to combat crime, while the lack of personnel and resources is not considered to be an obstacle,” she concluded.
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