Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Decline in crime or flawed record keeping by SAPS? AfriForum sceptical about latest statistics

The announcement today by the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, that murder and stock theft decreased by 9,8% and 4,5% respectively in the third quarter of the current financial year (October 2024 – December 2024), leads AfriForum to question the accuracy of the latest national crime statistics. According to AfriForum, it also raises the question of whether the statistics truly captures the reality that communities across South Africa are facing.

“Although the Minister’s positive attitude towards promoting cooperation between communities and law enforcement is commendable, AfriForum remains sceptical about the latest crime statistics,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety.

AfriForum Neighbourhood and Farm Watches, who deal with all sorts of crimes at grassroots level, have not noticed any significant difference in crime patterns during this time. On the contrary, AfriForum Farm and Neighbourhood Watches have been dealing with burglaries and stock theft cases on a weekly basis for the past few months.

AfriForum’s concerns are further compounded by the findings of the Auditor-General, who last year revealed serious inaccuracies in the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) crime statistics. Issues such as poor record-keeping, mismanagement of dockets and the failure to properly utilise crime statistics for crime-fighting strategies have seriously undermined the SAPS’ ability to effectively combat crime at grassroots level. If the SAPS cannot even accurately record crime in the country, it is hard to have confidence in their ability to combat it effectively.

“AfriForum continues to advocate for the devolution of policing powers to regional and local levels, allowing communities to better respond to their specific safety challenges. Farm attacks and other rural crimes require specialised rural policing units that are familiar with the environment and have a steady stream of local crime intelligence. Gang violence in urban areas requires targeted interventions led by regional crime specialists with knowledge of the areas challenges. Taxi violence and murders related to illegal mining operations require law enforcement strategies that are specific to the regions concerned and feasible to execute in those areas. This is just one of the reasons why the devolution of policing powers makes sense,” says Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety.

AfriForum remains committed to protecting communities so that they are not vulnerable to crime. AfriForum calls on citizens to get involved with their local safety structures such as an AfriForum Neighbourhood or Farm Watch. Visit www.afriforumbuurtwag.co.za for more information.