Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, has expressed concern towards the rise in mass killings in the Eastern Cape, particularly the recent killing of five family members in Bityi Village near Mthatha in the OR Tambo District.

The incident took place on Friday 18 October, with Cameron saying, “There seems to be a worrying increase in mass murders in South Africa, something that is unacceptable and against the common vision and objective of the creation of safe and secure country.”

Cameron further called for “a concerted effort between the police and the community in order to stop this worrying trend.”

The Chairperson specifically noted the lack of effective investigations of criminal cases and prosecutions of alleged criminals, which he stated contributes to the rising criminality in South Africa. Furthermore, Cameron said without proper investigation and prosecution, all forms of criminality will continue to rise.

Cameron has repeatedly called for sound capacitation and strengthening of detective and crime intelligence units in the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The recent increase in mass killings is of particular concern, with Cameron saying “these communities that are depicted as mass murder hotspots by the recent crime statistics, were havens and citadels of peace and harmony historically and conservatively intolerant to all forms of crime. We are calling on SAPS to invigorate collaboration with traditional leaders and community policing forums to push back the frontiers of crime in rural communities particularly in the villages where it has reached unimaginable proportions.”

Cameron further stated the proliferation of illegal firearms which are used by the perpetrators of these crimes calls for the intensification of effective multiplicity of crime fighting strategies and to disarm criminals of those firearms. “We must do whatever is necessary to turn the tide of murders in the country,” he said.