Nqakula: We are tackling crime
2008-08-25 21:09
Cape Town - South Africa, battling perceptions of being an unsafe destination ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, has made progress in fighting violent crime, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said on Monday.
Nqakula said a successful crackdown on bombings and thefts of ATMs were examples of how authorities were fighting crime.
"There are various things like that which surely do not mean that we are unable to deal with crime and therefore crime is out of control," he told reporters.
Annual crime statistics showed the number of murders fell 4.7% between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2008, with 18 487 murders reported - among the worst in the world.
Nqakula said more than 1.2 million criminals were arrested during this time.
"Of course crime levels are high in South Africa and we are trying to deal with that particular matter," he said.
Critics say corruption and other flaws in the justice system have allowed many criminals to evade prosecution, with cases often being thrown out of court for lack of evidence and poor investigative procedures by the police.
South Africa has set an annual target of reducing crime by 7-10% and is aiming for a complete overhaul of its justice system, said the minister.
- Reuters