Gauteng registered 31 extortion cases with 23 arrests: Mthombeni

Gauteng Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni says they have registered 31 extortion cases with 23 arrests. He says police, working with metro police and security companies, have put plans in place to crack down on extortion syndicates across the province.

Mthombeni was briefing the Gauteng Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety on the crime statistics for the period April to June this year.

Gauteng continues to be the biggest contributor to the national crime statistics with 26,9% of the country’s crime stats. However, the Provincial Police Commissioner says the province has recorded a decrease in contact crime. This includes murder, attempted murder as well as robbery with aggravating circumstances.

“Gauteng was the only province which managed to reduce 16 of the 17-community reported serious crimes in the country. We are a heavyweight province, but we have been sustaining our contributions to the national crime statistic at least at less than 30%. For the quarter under review, we have contributed 26,9% to the national overall crime picture,” says Mthombeni.

Gauteng crime stats show an increase in common assault and rape but a decrease in murder.

“So, for contact crime murder, rape, attempted murder, assault to inflict with bodily harm, common robbery, when you look at the particular offense you see that for murder and common robbery decreasing and the ratio or crime rate for attempted murder as well as with intent to inflict bodily harm and common assault having an increase as indicated,” says Brigadier Mpho Chakalane, Provincial Crime Registrar.

Members of the Legislature have called on police to investigate the ease access to and availability of firearms.

“Guns cannot be so freely available. Where do they get them from? (That) needs to be investigated very seriously. For me, when it comes to crime fighting between communities, working together and collaboration between the SAPS and the JMPD, there is no collaboration there. Do they talk to each other? Are they planning together? And we need both of these two policing structures to work, especially in the areas where this gun violence is so bad,” says Bishop Dulton Adams, Chairperson of Committees.

Police arrested more than 65 000 people in the period of April to June 2024. Mthombeni says law enforcement agencies will continue to ensure that community members feel safe.

Mthombeni has called on residents to work with law enforcement agencies to combat crime in the province.