Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted a formal application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to compel the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Acting Minister of Police to release the long-overdue first quarter crime statistics.
This follows two previous written requests and two formal media statements by the DA calling on the Acting Minister to urgently release the data. Despite repeated promises, there has still been no clarity or accountability from the Ministry or SAPS on why the first quarter crime statistics have not been made public.
We are now on the eve of the release of the second quarter crime statistics, yet the first quarter figures remain hidden from the public. This deliberate withholding of crime data is unacceptable and undermines transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know the true state of safety in our country.
Crime statistics are not the property of the SAPS or the Minister, they belong to the people of South Africa. They are a critical tool for measuring performance, identifying crime trends, and ensuring that police resources are allocated where they are needed most.
The delay raises serious concerns about possible interference, dysfunction, or manipulation within SAPS management structures. It also highlights the ongoing leadership crisis in the Police Ministry, which continues to fail in its most basic mandate to keep South Africans safe and informed.
The DA demands:
- The immediate release of the first quarter crime statistics without any further delay or excuse;
- A full and transparent explanation from the Acting Minister of Police on the reasons for the delay and those responsible; and
- A firm commitment that all future quarterly crime statistics will be published on time and without political interference.
If the SAPS and the Acting Minister continue to withhold this information, the DA will pursue all available legal and parliamentary remedies to ensure accountability.
South Africans have a right to the truth. Concealing crime data erodes public trust, weakens parliamentary oversight, and leaves communities in the dark at a time when violent crime continues to spiral out of control.
The DA will not rest until transparency and accountability are restored within the South African Police Service.
Regards
Lisa Schickerling MP
DA Spokesperson on Police