“Our people are entitled to know how many crimes are reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS) on a regular basis.”
This was the message from acting minister of police Firoz Cachalia during the release of the third-quarter national crime statistics. He emphasised that the information is shared so that communities, businesses and public service departments can understand better what is happening in their neighbourhoods in terms of crime and related risks.
“Knowledge is power and enables better and more effective collective action to improve public safety,” he said.
Cachalia noted that during the recent State of the Nation Address, president Cyril Ramaphosa placed public safety at the centre of the government’s agenda for the coming year, with a specific focus on tackling organised crime and gender-based violence.
He added that while communities must be supported in strengthening local safety initiatives, this must happen within the bounds of the law.
“Where communities take the law into their own hands, resulting in murders and assaults, this creates further work for an already overstretched police service,” he said.
Cachalia acknowledged that crime levels remain unacceptably high. “We still have a long journey to travel. But I promise that we will not give up. By adopting a whole of government and whole of society approach, together we can make South Africa a safer place.”
Against this national backdrop, the latest third-quarter statistics paint a concerning picture for Oudtshoorn, which ranks amongst the top 15 police stations in the Western Cape in several serious crime categories.
While the figures reflect only categories in which Oudtshoorn features prominently at provincial level, they highlight specific areas of concern within both the Garden Route District and the province as a whole.
Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm:
Oudtshoorn ranks fifth in the Western Cape for assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, and second in the Garden Route District, behind Knysna.
This high provincial standing suggests a persistent challenge with violent interpersonal crime, placing the town amongst the worst-affected areas in the province for this category.
Attempted murder:
In cases of attempted murder, Oudtshoorn is ranked 12th in the Western Cape and second in the Garden Route District, following Tembalethu.
Although not amongst the top ten in the province, the town’s position remains significant, particularly within the district context.
Attempted sexual offences:
One of the most alarming rankings is in attempted sexual offences. Oudtshoorn is placed second in the
Western Cape, first in the Garden Route District, and 23rd nationally.
This means that, at provincial level, only one other police station recorded more attempted sexual offences during the third quarter. Nationally, Oudtshoorn’s ranking amongst the top 25 stations underscores the seriousness of the issue.
Burglary at non-residential premises:
Business-related crime also remains a concern. Oudtshoorn ranks sixth in the Western Cape for burglary at non-residential premises and second in the Garden Route District, after George.
This category typically includes break-ins at businesses, offices and other commercial properties, impacting the local economy and business confidence.
Crimen injuria:
In crimen injuria cases, involving the unlawful and intentional impairment of a person’s dignity or privacy, Oudtshoorn ranks 10th in the Western Cape, first in the Garden Route District, and 19th nationally.
This suggests a notable number of reported cases compared to other police stations across the province and country.
Oudtshoorn’s repeated appearance amongst the top-ranking stations in multiple serious crime categories indicates areas where focused intervention and community partnerships may be required.
Local authorities and community structures are expected to analyse the data further to identify underlying causes and possible strategies to curb these trends. (MALISSA SPIES)
Latest crime figures raise concerns for Oudtshoorn
