IFP lauds cops, urges more work

2010-09-09 16:24

Pretoria - The Inkatha Freedom Party on Thursday commended the police for the fall in crime, but said that more still needed to be done.

"We welcome the downward trend in all of the major crimes," the IFP's spokesperson on police Velaphi Ndlovu said in reaction to the annual release of the crime statistics for the year ended March 31.

"It shows that the (SA Police Force's) immense efforts to combat crime, and its efforts to keep South Africa a safe place for both locals and tourists, have paid off.

"The IFP believes that special commendation must go to the SAPS for the significant decrease in South Africa's murder rate."

However, Ndlovu said the IFP was concerned at what seemed to be a steady upward trend in burglaries at homes and business premises.

He said that during the World Cup, the police proved they could keep the streets of South Africa safe and that it was time to build on the World Cup successes.

"While the latest crime statistics have given South Africans reason to be cautiously optimistic, the fact remains that South Africa is still ranked as one of the countries with the highest crime rates.

"We must therefore, once more, increase our efforts to fight crime, which is not only the responsibility of the SAPS but the broader South African community at large."

- SAPA