DA’s master plan to fight crime in Mzansi

DA leader John Steenhuisen.

ON Saturday, April 20, the Democratic Alliance (DA) announced the latest part of its party’s manifesto offering.

The DA wants to reduce crime within one term.

This will happen if the party is elected into government after the elections on May 29.

The party said that while its overall plan to reduce crime includes key elements such as the devolution of police powers to relevant local and provincial governments, the professionalisation of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the establishment of a new, fully independent constitutional institution . To tackle priority crimes and the establishment of rural security units to combat farm killings, the explosion of violent crimes against women and children in our country requires a targeted response.

The party said she must be elected to government to tackle this scourge of violent crime once and for all.

“The Public Prosecutor is committed to establishing specialized courts to deal with crimes against women and children, including abuse, kidnapping, human trafficking and murder. Establishing specialized units within the SAPS to focus on crimes against women, children and minors and strengthening investigative and forensic capacity to combat the increase in kidnapping, human trafficking and murder. And urgently create dedicated capacity and resources within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prioritize and accelerate the prosecution of individuals accused of gender-based violence, child abuse, human trafficking and murder,” said DA Leader John Steenhuisen.

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He said South Africans do not need to wait until after the elections to take action. “That is why I have already written to President Cyril Ramaphosa urging him to rise above politics and take these common sense measures before election day.

“These urgent measures are necessary following the significant increase in child murders and kidnappings over the past year,” he said.

He said that between April and December 2023, 871 children were murdered across the country. Many of them were caught in the crossfire of gang-related violence and crime, which is on the rise in communities across the country.

Steenhuisen claimed that despite these shocking statistics, they have seen President Ramaphosa, Police Minister Bheki Cele and the ANC government turn a blind eye to GBV and crimes against children time and time again.