Former finance Minister Trevor Manuel File picture: Werner Beukes/ANA
Johannesburg - Former ANC NEC member Trevor Manuel has described the country’s crime levels as an epidemic that needs to be resolved as soon as possible.
Manuel also slammed political leaders for not doing enough to help fight crime and load shedding.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika yesterday, he said the SAPS had failed to solve the murders of rapper AKA and former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa.
"The epidemic of crime and corruption does not appear that we are about to turn the corner on this. If we look at some of the crimes, there are about 16 000 kidnapping crimes a year in SA, according to available statistics. There are about 30 000 murders a year and 82 per day.
"This is a large number, and if you compare it to the fact that 8 000 people were killed in a war in Ukraine in 12 months, and you look at the 30 000 in South Africa, we have to sit up and take notice of this."
The former minister of finance said the SAPS continued to fail victims of crime, including the families of Senzo Meyiwa and AKA, whose murders were not being handled properly.
Manuel’s comments come a day after the assassination of former ANC councillor and activist Loyiso Nkohla. He was shot dead in Philippi, in Cape Town, where he was attending a meeting to discuss the relocation of people who have moved onto the Central Line railway.
"We then must also look at the failings of the police to actually arrest, prosecute, and deal with issues... Some people were arrested for the assassination of AKA in Durban recently and in Cape Town, more than 1 600km away. There have been no other arrests.
"We also know that Bafana Bafana and national goalkeeper and captain Senzo Meyiwa was murdered, and his case has been a comedy of errors so many years later. Just yesterday, Loyiso Nkohla was gunned down. I think we must be extremely concerned about all of this."
The Star