Mnr die Speaker, vanoggend is die misdaadstatistieke vir die tydperk 1 April 2011 tot einde Maart 2012 deur die Minister van Polisie bekend gemaak. Daar is oor die algemeen 'n redelike afname, in veral geweldsmisdade, in persentasies. Die VF Plus wil vir daardie lede van die Polisie wat hard werk om misdaad in Suid-Afrika te bekamp, bedank en hulle ook gelukwens.
Maar, as ek dit s, dan moet ons ook die werklikheid in die o staar, waarvan die eerste is dat daar steeds 15 609 mense is wat in Suid-Afrika gedurende daardie tydperk vermoor is. Dit beteken daar word elke uur twee mense in Suid-Afrika vermoor. As 'n mens kyk na die statistieke oor die afgelope tien jaar, dan was daar 182 935 mense in Suid-Afrika vermoor. Dit is gelykstaande aan al die inwoners van 'n stad soos Klerksdorp in Noordwes wat oor 'n tydperk van tien jaar uitgemoor word.
As ons gaan kyk na seksuele misdrywe, was daar in Suid-Afrika 64 514 slagoffers van seksuele misdrywe in een jaar. Dit beteken dat een persoon in Suid-Afrika elke agt minute 'n slagoffer van 'n seksuele misdaad is.
Ten spyte van hierdie afnames, moet ons onsself nie laat mislei nie: Suid- Afrika bly 'n geweldadige land waar misdaadvlakke te hoog is. Daar moet harder gewerk word om misdadigers te straf, sodat hulle baie duidelik die boodskap kan kry dat misdaad nie in Suid-Afrika betaal nie. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD (FF Plus): Mr Speaker, the Minister of Police released the crime statistics for the period 1 April 2011 to the end of March 2012 this morning. In general, there is a reasonable decrease in percentages, especially with regard to violent crimes. The FF Plus wants to thank and also congratulate those members of the Police who work hard at combating crime in South Africa.
But, whilst saying this, we also have to face reality, the first of which is that there were still 15 609 people murdered in South Africa during this period. This means that there are two people murdered in South Africa every hour. Looking at the statistics over the past ten years, one will see that there were 182 935 people murdered in South Africa. This is the equivalent of massacring all the residents of a town like Klerksdorp in the North West over a period of ten years.
Regarding sexual offences, there were 64 514 victims of sexual offences in South Africa in one year. This implies that one person is a victim of a sexual offence in South Africa every eight minutes.
Despite these decreases, we should not be deceived: South Africa remains a violent country where crime levels are too high. More effort should be put into punishing criminals, in order for them to get the message clearly that crime does not pay in South Africa. I thank you.]