COSATU - Crime levels unacceptable 01-07-08

 

Crime levels unacceptable - COSATU

The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes the decrease in the number of murders, rapes, indecent assaults, common robberies and assaults, revealed in the crime statistics released on 30 June 2008. The federation is however angry that house and business robberies, and car and truck hijackings increased over the year, and that the overall levels of crime remain totally unacceptable, particularly the shocking figure of 18 487 people murdered in a year, which amounts to over 50 a day.

One particularly alarming development is a horrifying increase in the murder of children, up 22.4% over the year, with the number of attempted murders of children up 13.7%. As a society we should hang our heads in shame at such a trend. There is a clear need to step up the campaign against violence against women and children, from 16 days of activism, to 365 days of activism to put a stop to this cruel carnage of the children who represent our future.

COSATU fully backs the ANC’s Polokwane Conference decision to make crime, together with education and health, one of its priority campaigns in 2008. As its January 8th Anniversary statement said: “We must sharpen our anti-crime campaign. We need, this year, to build on the work already done to mobilise our communities more effectively to beat crime.”

COSATU urges all its members to get involved in this campaign, as spelt out in the ANC resolution which said that:

The ANC/Alliance needs to encourage its members and communities to participate in Community Policing Forums, prioritise and run campaigns around peace and stability issues, based on a clear programme that is linked to the Moral Regeneration Campaign.
There should be a programme of mobilisation and integration of structures such as School Governing Bodies and Parent-Teacher Associations with safety and security structures in order to defeat crime in our communities.
Traditional leaders should be mobilised to play a more significant role in promoting peace and stability in rural areas.
The Rural Safety Plan must be implemented and made visible in rural areas.
Young people must also be involved in a massive programme of community policing and safety that would include night street patrols and have stipends paid by government as part of the national youth service to instil the value to serve and protect the community and public property amongst our youth.
There is a need for a firm resolution on Social Crime Prevention.
Police stations must be centres for coordinating mass mobilisation against crime.
Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)

Congress of South African Trade Unions

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets

Braamfontein, 2017

P.O. Box 1019

Johannesburg, 2000

SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940/ 086 603 9667

Cell: 0828217456

E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za