The Democratic Alliance has raised alarm over the South African Police Service’s failure to release the first-quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year, which were due at the end of August.
The last figures were published on 23 May, and the party says the delay undermines transparency and erodes public trust.
In a statement, the DA confirmed it will write to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to demand the immediate release of the data to Parliament and the public, as required by law and Cabinet practice. The party also wants clarity on the reasons for the repeated omissions and delays.
The DA stressed that crime statistics are not the property of SAPS or the Minister but belong to the public, and that timely reporting is critical for government, civil society, and communities to respond effectively to crime trends. It warned that withholding the information fuels suspicion at a time when violent crime is at crisis levels.
Concerns have also been heightened by SAPS’s omission of crimes against women and children in the previous quarter, citing a “system error.”
The DA described this as unacceptable, saying vulnerable groups require dedicated protection and accountability.
According to the party, the repeated failure to release full and timely statistics raises serious questions about SAPS’s commitment to accountability. It added that South Africans deserve the truth about crime in their country, not secrecy or excuses.
The last figures were published on 23 May, and the party says the delay undermines transparency and erodes public trust.
In a statement, the DA confirmed it will write to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to demand the immediate release of the data to Parliament and the public, as required by law and Cabinet practice. The party also wants clarity on the reasons for the repeated omissions and delays.
The DA stressed that crime statistics are not the property of SAPS or the Minister but belong to the public, and that timely reporting is critical for government, civil society, and communities to respond effectively to crime trends. It warned that withholding the information fuels suspicion at a time when violent crime is at crisis levels.
Concerns have also been heightened by SAPS’s omission of crimes against women and children in the previous quarter, citing a “system error.”
The DA described this as unacceptable, saying vulnerable groups require dedicated protection and accountability.
According to the party, the repeated failure to release full and timely statistics raises serious questions about SAPS’s commitment to accountability. It added that South Africans deserve the truth about crime in their country, not secrecy or excuses.
