Writing in her weekly open letter to the public, Mavuso noted that businesses in the country have also had to grapple with increased“A business mafia has evolved that threatens businesses, demanding inducements to avoid consequences. This has become a priority national crime and Business Against Crime South Africa has set up an information-sharing site to capture all information regarding extortion incidents.
“By capturing such information we can understand trends and connect incidents, improving the probabilities of arrests and successful prosecutions. You can access the reportingMavuso added that crime affects employees and customers and presents serious security challenges to businesses. Commercial crime also damages the economy, with over 25,000 cases reported in the quarter, a 13% increase on the previous year, she said.
“Murders increased 22% to 6,083 for the quarter, working out to an average of 67 murders per day. These statistics show the horrendous toll that crime has on all South Africans.” “Crime of course is a complex phenomenon that has many causes. Poverty and social dysfunction certainly contribute. The crime figures were particularly bleak for women, with murder, attempted murder and assault recording double-digit increases .”
She noted that over 10,000 rape cases were reported in the quarter, a 14% increase. The number of children murdered also increased by 37%.“The crime figures are horrendous, but I am encouraged by the calls for partnership and the practical interventions to ensure that police stations become partners with communities to fight the scourge of crime.