Increase in kidnapping incidents raises concern

11 March 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is deeply concerned about the escalating number of kidnapping incidents in the country.

According to the media reports, there are kidnapping syndicates that are targeting wealthy families and foreign nationals. There are also claims that these syndicates are working with the police.

These claims pose a serious threat to national security as people who are tasked with the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of everyone within the country are involved in such a serious crime.

This is worrying particularly for the Gauteng province which has recorded the highest number of kidnapping cases in the country. According to the 2018/19 crime stats, Gauteng remained the highest with 2,109 cases reported.

Kempton Park Police Station recorded the most kidnapping cases and saw an increase from 109 in 2017/ 2018 financial year to 125 cases in 2018/ 2019 financial year.

Gauteng residents are not safe and are living in fear of being another statistic.

It’s high time that the ANC-led national government consider implementing the DA’s plans for fighting crime and ensuring the safety of all South Africans. This can be done by professionalising the SAPS, removing the corrupt police officers from the system and equipping SAPS with adequate resources to fight crime.

The crime intelligence unit in charge of kidnapping cases is under capacitated and understaffed with only five members.

This is a shame because they are unable to efficiently investigate all the cases and in most instances, the kidnapping cases don’t make it to the court role due to insufficient evidence.

We call on both Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko and Gauteng SAPS Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General, Elias Mawela to liaise with their national counterpart Minister of Police, Bheki Cele to investigate these serious claims of the police colluding with the kidnapping syndicates. They should also equip the crime intelligence unit working on kidnapping cases with resources and more personnel.

The DA further calls on Gauteng Premier, David Makhura to establish a provincial specialised unit to deal with cases of kidnapping.

Issued byJohn Moodey,DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety, 11 March 2020