DA urges release of crime stats

2005-05-10 09:49

Cape Town - If government is winning the war against crime there is no reason to withhold the latest crime statistics, the Democratic Alliance said on Monday.

"As it is now the end of the financial year there is no reason for the minister of safety and security not to release crime statistics for the year April 2004 to March 2005," DA spokesperson Roy Jankielsohn said in a statement.

"It is an indictment of the government that once again we have to fight to get information that should be made readily available to the public," he said.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula recently made a number of bullish statements about how the government was winning the war against crime.

If this was really the case, then government should have nothing to hide.

If indeed there had been a significant drop in certain crime categories this should be applauded, and if not, it would provide citizens with the necessary information to make informed decisions about how to minimise their exposure to crime.

The Institute of Security Studies confirmed in a briefing to parliament last year that because government only released crime statistics annually, and at least four months out of date, this lead to suspicion and questions about the accuracy of such statistics.

"I will again take up this matter with the portfolio committee on safety and security when parliament reconvenes and request it if necessary to utilise its powers of subpoena to ensure that the department releases the statistics.

"The government needs to realise once and for all that the public have a right to access of information that affects their lives in such a drastic fashion," Jankielsohn said.

- SAPA