Decrease in serious crimes due to unavailability of alcohol: Bheki Cele

Dennis TApril 5, 2020

33 1 minute read

Police Minister, Bheki Cele has attributed the decrease in serious crimes to the unavailability of alcohol. The sale of alcohol during the national lockdown has been prohibited as government tries to contain the spread of COVID-19. Cele has welcomed the general decrease in serious and violent crimes.

Comparing the first week of the lockdown to the same period in 2019, Minister Bheki Cele confirmed that cases of assault with intention to inflict grievous bodily harm, dropped from 2 673 to 456; and trio crimes dropped from 8 853 to 2 098. Meanwhile, Cele says gender-based violence continues to be an issue in South Africa.

He says there have been 2230 reports of gender-based violence since the lockdown. Cele previously said 87,000 complaints had been laid but he told eNCA that this figure is from 2019. On the week since the declaration by the President of the state of disaster, we have received 2 300 calls/complaints…184 of those people have been charged. Indeed, there’s been the increase of violence which has been the always scourge in South Africa, it doesn’t necessarily come with the lockdown…” said Cele. The 2019-2020 National Crime Statistics are yet to be officially released.

Social Development has set up a GBV Command Centre that operates 24 hours.
The number is 0800 428 428. The number is 0800 150 150. Coronavirus Hotline Number: 0800 029 999 from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday . Help protect your loved ones by sharing this official South African government COVID-19 service with your family, friends and community.

Send HI to 0600 123 456 on WhatsApp. The NICD has another Clinician Hotline to improve #COVID19 communication and support for healthcare providers. The Clinician Hotline is 0800 11 1131, operating 24 hrs. The Public Hotline is 0800 029 999 also operating 24hrs.

In other news – Nomsa Mazwai is expecting baby number 2

Artist Nomsa Mazwai aka Nomisupasta has announced her second pregnancy in a beautiful shoot. Taking to Instagram, she shared drawings by her firstborn of her pregnant belly.