Ramaphosa Calls For ‘Collaborative Effort’ In Fight Against Crime

In his latest weekly newsletter, President Cyril Ramaphosa has underscored the pressing issue of crime that afflicts all South Africans.

This societal menace, he asserts, can only be curtailed through a concerted and collaborative effort involving the government, business sector, and communities.

There has been a notable surge in crime rates in recent months, marked by incidents of kidnappings, extortion, murder, and the trafficking of undocumented migrants.

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Last week, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu acknowledged the shortcomings of the police’s crime intelligence service, emphasizing the need for significant strengthening.

This revelation came on the heels of police discovering a clandestine military training camp in Mpumalanga and the subsequent arrest of 95 Libyan nationals.

President Ramaphosa has emphasized the importance of leveraging existing structures like Operation Shanela and community policing forums (CPFs) to combat crime effectively. He stated, “Our approach to crime-fighting has had to evolve in response to new types of crime.

These include illicit mining and construction site extortion, and, more recently, kidnappings for ransom and more sophisticated drug manufacturing and smuggling operations.”

According to Ramaphosa, crime is a pervasive issue that demands a collective effort.

“If we continue to work together as government, the business community, labour, and civil society, we can restore the safety and security that is critical to economic activity and the creation of jobs,” he noted.

Additionally, he underscored the vital role of communities in supporting the police through CPFs and other structures, thereby reclaiming their homes, businesses, and streets from criminals.