Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has called on the nation to take an active role in fighting crime and promoting road safety as the country enters the busy festive season.
He was speaking at the End-of-Year Crime and Road Safety Prevention Campaign and the launch of the National Festive Season Safety Campaign at Ngculwini yesterday.
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This year’s theme is, “Police remain resolute in dismantling crime syndicates and preventing road crashes to fortify the security and safety of the nation.”
The prime minister said the theme highlights the commitment of the Police Service to confront crime, including the rise of youth gangs that threaten communities. He said this should not be allowed, and he called for concerted efforts in finding a lasting solution to this challenge.
Dlamini said it was everyone’s responsibility to keep the nation safe, emphasising the national motto, “Nawe uliphoyisa,” which he said serves as a reminder that safety requires cooperation between the public, communities, the business sector, civil society and the country’s security forces.
“This year, let us do things differently; let us cut down crime and road accidents,” he said, urging citizens to come up with solutions that will inspire everyone in society to join the campaign fully.
GBV down, rape cases up
A complex picture of the country’s fight against gender-based violence (GBV) was revealed by statistics which indicate a decline in reported cases, but a spike in rape offences.
According to statistics that were released by the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police Manoma Vusi Masango yesterday, a total of 6 160 GBV cases were reported to the police between January and October, which reflects a slight decline of 3% from the 6 352 cases reported during the same period last year.
The statistics also reveal that among the 6 160 reported GBV cases, 460 involved children between the ages of zero to 17 years.
There were 237 cases involving children aged 12 to 17 years, while those involving minors aged zero to five years were 135. Meanwhile, a total of 88 GBV cases involved children aged between six to 11 years.
However, the decline of GBV cases reported during the period under review was overshadowed by a sharp rise in rape cases, which shot up from 821 last year to 1 074 this year, marking a 31% increase.
Again, children continue to make up the majority of rape victims, with 705 cases involving minors aged 0–17 years. A breakdown shows:
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545 cases involving children aged 12–17 years
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124 cases involving minors aged six to 11
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The rest were children aged zero to five
The Manzini Region had a total of 2 160 reported GBV and rape cases, made up of 1 784 GBV cases and 376 rape cases.
Speaking during the launch of the End-of-Year National Crime and Road Accident Prevention Campaign at Ngculwini under Mafutseni Constituency, the national commissioner said the number of rape cases that continue to be reported to the police were alarming.
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