Gauteng awoke to a bit of good news yesterday, thanks to safety MEC, Firoz Cachalia.
Gauteng awoke to a bit of good news yesterday, thanks to safety MEC, Firoz Cachalia.
He said crime-busting operations aimed especially at residential robberies, hijackings and cash heists had significantly reduced these crimes.
Importantly, there has been an increase in arrests.
Cachalia, his colleagues and the over-stretched police deserve a pat on their collective back for giving us hope that criminals will not have free rein forever.
Having said that, they should not be surprised though that news of their success is being taken with a pinch of salt.
The feel-good effect of such announcements is overshadowed by the widespread scepticism of a public that considers itself to be at the mercy of criminals.
By Cachalia's own admission, crime levels remain unacceptably high in the province.
The rest of the country offers no respite from crime either.
People will continue to feel unsafe, even in their own homes, irrespective of the percentage drops in crime.
Victims of crime count their losses in terms of lives - moms, dads, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, grandparents and so on.
One death in a family or neighbourhood is one too many. The pain of loss brings untold misery.
Please sir, we want more
Gauteng awoke to a bit of good news yesterday, thanks to safety MEC, Firoz Cachalia.
Gauteng awoke to a bit of good news yesterday, thanks to safety MEC, Firoz Cachalia.
He said crime-busting operations aimed especially at residential robberies, hijackings and cash heists had significantly reduced these crimes.
Importantly, there has been an increase in arrests.
Cachalia, his colleagues and the over-stretched police deserve a pat on their collective back for giving us hope that criminals will not have free rein forever.
Having said that, they should not be surprised though that news of their success is being taken with a pinch of salt.
The feel-good effect of such announcements is overshadowed by the widespread scepticism of a public that considers itself to be at the mercy of criminals.
By Cachalia's own admission, crime levels remain unacceptably high in the province.
The rest of the country offers no respite from crime either.
People will continue to feel unsafe, even in their own homes, irrespective of the percentage drops in crime.
Victims of crime count their losses in terms of lives - moms, dads, sons, daughters, uncles, aunts, grandparents and so on.
One death in a family or neighbourhood is one too many. The pain of loss brings untold misery.