On Wednesday, March 12, MEC for Community Safety and Transport, Honourable Xolile Nqatha, released the latest crime statistics at St Albans Correctional Centre in Gqeberha.
The data covers the period from July 1 to December 31, 2024, and highlights significant developments in crime trends across the Eastern Cape.
Nelson Mandela Bay has been a key focus, contributing 23.4% to community-reported serious crimes in the second quarter, with a notable decrease of 7.1%.
In the third quarter, it retained a significant portion of overall crime statistics with a 22.5% contribution, showing a decrease of 13.5%.
Nqatha remarked, “The spate of successes in combating crime are indeed setting our province on a high note and are also placing our crime-fighting efforts at a far better level towards gaining public confidence.”
However, certain areas within Nelson Mandela Bay remain problematic, with police stations like Mount Road, Humewood, and Kabega Park being identified as key locations for community-reported serious crimes.
Nonetheless, the overall decrease in Nelson Mandela Bay reflects positively on the implementation of robust crime-fighting strategies, according to Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana of SAPS.
Across the Eastern Cape, notable crime reductions were observed, such as a significant 11% decrease in murder and a 34.2% decrease in business robberies in the third quarter.
Despite reductions, certain crimes like assault and house robberies saw increases, necessitating continued vigilance.
Reflecting on the statistics, Acting Eastern Cape SAPS Provincial Commissioner, Major General Zithulele Dladla, highlighted, “These statistics are not just numbers; they represent the lived experiences of our communities and the challenges we face in ensuring safety and security for all.”
The introduction of the 200th police station in the Eastern Cape, Majola Police Station in the OR Tambo District, is part of efforts to enhance policing capacity and resource allocation.
“As police, we are also responding to the calls for additional resources,” Dladla added.
The establishment of new police stations and deployment of the National Intelligence Unit in OR Tambo District, Gantana said, signifies the province’s commitment to tackling serious crimes such as extortion.
In his address, MEC Nqatha stressed the government’s dedication to strengthening strategies for tackling crime.
“As government, we are focused on strengthening our crime-fighting strategies to effectively address criminal activities,” he concluded.