Cape Town - There has been a small decrease in the number of crimes detected as a result of police action, a police official told Parliament during the presentation of 2015/16 crime statistics on Friday.
These crimes were categorised as drug related, driving under the influence of intoxicating substances, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and sexual offences.
While decreases were generally lauded, a 0.3% decrease in this category meant officers were picking up fewer such crimes.
Crime research and statistics head Major General Norman Sekhukhune offered an alternative possibility.
"You might find that police have done so much work with these crimes, there are no longer guys to be arrested or to be used in the commission of these crimes," he said to laughter in the Old Assembly.
A provincial overview revealed a decrease in these detected crimes in Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal.
