As the festive season comes to a close in KwaZulu-Natal, Deputy Police Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba unveiled a comprehensive report detailing the efforts of law enforcement in tackling crime during this bustling period.
Since the launch of operations on October 15, the police have been on high alert, implementing a strategy aimed at curbing various criminal activities and ensuring the safety of residents. This overview, presented to Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, highlights the strides made in the fight against crime.
Arrests
Makoba said that for contravening the Firearms Control Act, 2000 (Act No 60 and 2000), 329 people were arrested.
“We have arrested 429 people for possession of firearms without a licence, and for ammunition (illegal possession) there are 454,” Makoba said.
“Then for dangerous weapons, it’s 469. That talks to all the knives and sharp instruments that, in most cases, are utilised by criminals to commit crimes, such as robberies, such as assaults GBH (grievous bodily harm) and, at times, attempted murder.”
She said 529 people were arrested for drug dealing, while 4,048 were arrested for drug possession.
Additionally, 3,290 people were arrested for illegal liquor dealing.
Shifting to contact crime-related arrests, Makoba said the biggest contributor was both assault GBH and assault common.
She explained that, with assault common (1,024 arrests), in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, they do not necessarily affect an arrest immediately but the numbers are high because most of the assaults are a result of assaults happening in domestic violence setups. The law allows for arrest for that, especially if the assault and crime are still imminent within the family.
“But GBH, this is the main contributor in our contact crime figures, (and account for) 2,133 arrests that we have effected,” Makoba said.
She said there were 379 rape-related arrests and 255 for murder.
“Yes, it doesn’t tally with the number of murders that have happened during this period, but the investigation continues. In some cases, it’s not easy to effect arrests immediately,” Makoba said.
On property-related crimes, and crimes dependent on police action for detection, Makoba said: “The biggest number is driving under the influence of liquor (3,000), especially during this time, we focus on this to try and eliminate and minimise the number of deaths on our roads. The RTI, Department of Transport, together with SAPS in different districts, is hard at work trying to address this issue.”
She also noted that 2,133 illegal immigrants were arrested.
Recoveries and confiscations
- Alcoholic beverages: 64,000 litres
- Drugs: dagga (1,134,29kg), dagga plants (507), cocaine (121.09 grams), crack cocaine (3,566,01 grams), crystal meth (1,577,73 grams), heroin (2,582,16 grams), and nyaope/whoonga (3,895,45 grams).
- Firearms: handguns (489), rifles (50), shotguns (27) and homemade (32).
Makoba said they face an issue with criminals using toy guns to commit contact crimes like robberies and carjackings. Their stop-and-searches often yield toy firearms which are being employed as instruments for serious crime.
She said 261 toy guns were recovered.
KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi attributed successes to the joint effort of all law enforcement agencies—including the SAPS, RTI, Metro Police, and various municipal and district agencies—along with a strong reliance on community safety structures, such as the Community in Blue patrols, operating under the Community Policing Forum.
Premier Ntuli commended Mkhwanazi’s team for the hope they have returned to KZN residents.
To Mkhwanazi, Ntuli said KZN residents are speaking in one voice that in the province, “they have police that are of integrity.”
“It’s a good thing. You have branded SAPS in the province of KwaZulu-Natal because you’re a good principal.”
