Zuma upbeat about crime fight

2004-09-21 22:04

Cape Town - The government is confident that incidents of child murder will be drastically reduced and eventually eradicated, said deputy president Jacob Zuma on Tuesday.

Replying to questions in the national council of provinces, he said the issue of child murders was one of the most "diabolical and distressing crimes we have to deal with, and our interventions in this regard fall under the broader spectrum of the government's fight against crime".

"We have set ourselves a reduction-rate target of between 7% and 10% a annum for the next 10 years.

"We are giving particular attention to murder, rape, assault, and aggravated robbery," he said.

While considerable gains against certain categories of serious crimes had been made between 1994 and 2004, the declines had not been satisfactory, and the government was determined to achieve reduction rates of between 7% and 10% a year.

Planning other interventions against crime

"We have made the point several times that the people bearing the brunt of crime live mostly in socio-economically depressed areas.

"We have just finalised a socio-graphic profiling of the 63 priority police-station areas where most of these serious crimes take place," Zuma said.

Furthermore, the government intended making other interventions directed at improving employment opportunities, creating appropriate recreational facilities and making sure that street names were put up.

The government walso was intent on reducing the number of firearms, clamping down on illegal drugs and substance abuse.

Another aim was tighter controls on liquor outlets, and raising awareness against violence against women and children.

"With all these strategies in place and the various forms of crime mentioned above brought under control, we are confident that incidents of child murders will be drastically reduced and eventually eradicated," said Zuma.

- SAPA