CAPE TOWN – Police Minister Fikile Mbalula came under fire for failing to deliver figures of farm murders and attacks.
Mbalula was delivering the 2016/17 crime statistics report in Parliament but the absence of figures on farm murders and attacks caused a stir as members of parliament vied for his head.
Some members of parliament felt the Police Minister only concentrated on crimes happening in major city centres neglecting those happening in rural areas and farms.
The FFP’s Petrus Groenewald said the police department last year made a commitment that it will include the statistics on farm attacks on its next annual national crime statistics report.
Groenewald appealed to the minister to provide the statics because there are equally important to those in urban areas.
“I’m sure the commissioner should have the figures. We took such a decision last year,” Groenewald said.
Groenewald added, “If we have the figures, why can’t we get it now. What is the reason we can’t get them now?”
Mbalula told the parliament that he was unaware there had been such arrangements made by the Police Department.
Lesetja Mothiba, acting national commissioner, came to the rescue of Mbalula saying it could take the whole day to make a presentation on all types of prevalent murders that are recorded in more than 1000 police stations.
“We had to prepare this presentation based on time given to us,” he said.
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