According to the 2023/2024 South African Police Service Crime Statistics, an alarming 4,300 reported kidnapping cases were reported between July and September, while 293 children and 881 women were murdered in the last quarter of 2023.
Reports that South Africa has the highest kidnapping rate among African countries with approximately 9.58 kidnappings for every 100,000 people are disheartening and very worrying indeed.
Throughout the years, we have seen an increase in lawlessness and in criminals getting away with their crimes. A lack of action by law enforcement agencies indirectly encourages more criminality in the country.
The ACDP calls on government to introduce new, innovative measures to stop these kidnappings which also lead to an increase in extortion.
When children go to school in the morning, parents should not worry that some might not come home because of this evil practice of kidnapping, and when parents leave for work, children should not doubt that they might not see them again, because of evil gangs.
The ACDP further calls on government to introduce minimum sentences for crimes such as kidnapping, extortion and being part of mafia gangs, such as the construction mafia, before South Africa becomes a mafia state.
Criminals must be taught that crime does not pay, and corrupt police officers must be flushed out of the police service.
