Organised crime worries Mbeki

2006-07-30 15:38

Pretoria - President Thabo Mbeki expressed concern on Sunday over what he described as the rising incidence of organised crime in country.

He said a mid-year cabinet lekgotla took note of recent incidents of serious and violent crimes including the Jeppestown shooting and airport robberies.

"Further work is necessary on capacity building, especially the police capacity for intelligence gathering," Mbeki told reporters in Pretoria.

Greater community involvement was also required in the fight against crime. <> "The crime of rape ... a lot of that occur amongst people who know one-another...it is clear that social involvement in combating those type of crimes become important," Mbeki said.

He said there had been an improvement in the capacity of the police to deal with crime.

Proof of this was the quick turn-around time after a crime was committed until the suspect was arrested.

"The capacity to pick them up in the country wherever they are, including the capacity to pick them up as they leave the country, is an example."

On a question whether South Africa would be as safe as some European cities when the 2010 Soccer World Cup was hosted, Mbeki said it was not always wise to follow their examples.

"You know London has got one of the highest incidents of car theft worst than car theft, worse than Johannesburg, so if you say we must imitate London...."

- SAPA