EFF STATEMENT ON CRIME STATISTICS: ECONOMIC FREEDOM IS THE ONLY ANSWER TO THE RISE OF CRIME
29 September 2015
The EFF is not shocked at the deteriorating levels of public order and policing reflected by crime statistics as announced by government and SAPS today. In a country of so much inequalities, unemployment, exploitation and the general moral degeneration reflected by those who lead the state, taking the law into one's hands has becomes the norm.
The statistics were being announced by already two morally degenerate individuals. One is the police commissioner who presided over the killing of workers in Marikana. How can Riah Phiyega stop murder when she herself is a number one murderer of workers? Two is Minister Nhleko who presided over the coverup of the greatest corruption scandal involving an individual and sitting state president in the history of South Africa. How can Nhleko stop robberies when he actively, in full view of the public protects the number 1 thief in South Africa, Jacob Zuma?
The EFF has no expectations on this government to address crime because it is led by the African National Criminals who through their degenerate leadership of corruption are normalizing theft and undoing the rule of law. To address the rising levels of crime the country needs to make two kinds of decisions; one is to remove the ANC and power because it has failed and will only lead us into further crisis. Two, we must address the socioeconomic conditions that have produced a situation of the lack of opportunities, hunger and unemployment in the face of first world wealth and development.
These levels of crime also tell the story of our collective emotional status as a people. They reveal South Africans as an angry people who have accepted violence as the norm. The statistics on aggravated crimes which have increased by 6.9 % are above all else, a demonstration of this fact as they include contact crime, normally of people who know each other or inhabit the same communities.
The rise in murder is most important. The EFF cautions about treating the police as an exceptional case as if they are not part of society. To address the crucial matter of murder increases amongst them separate from the general increase of murder in society will not resolve the situation. In stead, it will continue to mobilize them against society which they are always already part of. The rise in murder must be places squarely at the door of police leadership. They taught and inculcated the "killing" or "shoot to kill" as a modus operandi of resolving disputes. They taught society, as they shot to kill in Marikana, Mothutlung and Relela, including in exchange with daily combating of crime, that "killing" is right.
The place of police in society was compromised and degenerated by the philosophy and practice of "shoot to kill". To heal this situation only economic freedom is the answer. The statistics say Aggravated robbery is up by 8.5 percent, compared to previous year report of 118 964, cases reported increased to 129 045. Attempted murder is up by 3.2 percent in the 2014/15 period. Murder has increased by 4.6 percent from 17 023 to 17 805, with 782 more cases reported. Car hijacking has increased by 14.2 percent (to 12 773 from 11 180), track hijacking up by 12.9 percent. Bank robbery is also up by 19 percent, whilst business burglary up by 1.2 percent and business robbery is up by 3.2 percent; from 18 573 to 19 170.
These are at most crimes of people trying to eat. They are not crimes of greed. To address them, more policing will not work, only economic freedom based on radical transformation of property ownership will help. We have to lead an aggressive process of industrial expansion to create more and sustainable jobs. Increasing police, paying them better or giving them more guns will only lead to cosmetic changes.
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 29 September 2015
