Premier blames drug abuse for crime scourge

Premier Ace Magashule says, it is important for municipalities to play their role in strengthening crime prevention

Premier Ace Magashule has blamed drug and alcohol abuse for the rising crime statistics speaking at the launch of the Free State crime prevention strategy in Mangaung last week Friday, Magashule said substance abuse remains one of the reasons which drive people to commit crime.

“It is also common that liquor abuse is increasingly becoming one of the major contributors to incidents of crime in the province, especially relating to domestic violence, assault with the intent to do bodily harm and common assault,” said Magashule.

Magashule urged churches in the province to partner with government in its moral regeneration drive especially amongst the youth in the province.

“We are going to clamp down on liquor outlets that are trading illegally or who do not comply with their license conditions. They will be closed down and we will make sure that such licenses are suspended.”

According to the premier, it is important for municipalities to play their role in strengthening crime prevention.

“Areas such as Virginia, Botshabelo and Viljoenskroon have been identified as priority areas, where we will intensify our multi-disciplinary deliberations to make an impact on substance abuse and gangsterism. We will prepare joint plans and mobilise all resources to ensure we clean out these communities,” he said.

Magashule said many young people were under immense peer pressure to get involved in drugs and gangs to be accepted among their peers.

“Some join gangs because they found themselves in a state of fear or belonging and think they can be protected. Gang-related violence has since escalated to levels which have prompted us to draw the line. Already too many lives have been lost through selfish individuals who exploit the youth for their own gain.

“These are areas where gang violence had risen tremendously over the past few years. The gang violence had led to murder, rape, and torture and resulted in a number of arrests and convictions,” he added.

At the centre of the provincial government’s new crime prevention strategy is the push for greater cooperation between the police and the community in the fight against crime.

“As part of implementing the provincial crime prevention strategy, municipalities will be engaged to establish community safety forums to ensure the development of an effective and targeted ‘community safety plans’ or commonly known as local crime prevention strategies. All role-players will commit resources and capacity to assist in making these structures viable and functional,” he said.

Magashule added that crimes against women and children were prevalent in the Free State province and it needed to be nipped in the bud.

“The brutality and cruelty meted out to defenseless women is unacceptable and has no place in our country. The campaign of fighting violence against women and children needs to be an everyday campaign.”

According to him, contact crimes such as murder, rape and assault as well as other categories of crime such as human trafficking, car hijacking, household and business robberies have become a scourge in the province.

He bemoaned the mushrooming of gangsterism in the province There has been reports of emergence of gangs in areas such as Botshabelo, Meloding, Bronville, Kutlwanong, Kgotsong and Rammulotsi and the premier has vowed to work with the he police to clamp down on them.