Crime stats lock-up 'laughable'

2003-09-21 16:56

Cape Town - The plan to release the annual crime statistics under a "lock-up" situation at parliament was laughable, the Democratic Alliance said on Sunday.

The statistics, contained in the police's annual report, are to be made available to the media at noon on Monday, two hours before they are officially made public.

However this will involve a two-hour "lock-up" similar to that imposed on the parliamentary press gallery on Budget day.

DA safety and security spokesperson Douglas Gibson said the lockup was "laughable and pretentious".

He said Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula should rather do more to improve public access to information, and to encourage media scrutiny and debate.

"Members of parliament have an oversight role to play yet they have been kept in the dark," he said. "The statistics are being given to the media instead of to parliament.

"Tomorrow's media briefing is an attempt by government to spin and massage the statistics and persuade journalists to ensure that the only point of view available is that of the government."

Nqakula's ministry has repeatedly come under fire for not releasing crime figures more frequently.

His predecessor, Steve Tshwete, opted for the annual publication of statistics, a move Nqakula endorsed when he took over the portfolio.

Before that, crime statistics were released on a quarterly basis.

Moratorium

In July 2000 Tshwete placed a moratorium on the release of any statistics, citing their lack of reliability and credibility.

That moratorium was lifted in May 2001.

In last year's report National Commissioner Jackie Selebi said the police were turning the tide against crime and that this trend would continue.

He said that over the 18 months from April 2000 to September 2001 trends in at least 17 of the 20 prioritised crimes had stabilised.

Categories that had dropped or stabilised then included murder, attempted murder, robbery with aggravating circumstances, rape, serious assault, commercial crime, and drug-related crime.

In a report released last month, the United Nations' regional office for drugs and crime in southern Africa said organised crime had undergone an "explosive" increase in South Africa since 1994.

It said that due to its special geo-political position and economic opportunities, South Africa was the "regional hub for organised crime, including drug trafficking".

The police say there are 238 criminal syndicates operating in the country and across its borders.

- SAPA