The Democratic Alliance (DA) today gathered with the community and safety organisations outside the Upington Magistrates Court to picket against a rise in violent crime, following the murderous attack and assault of an elderly couple in Oosterville, over the weekend.
This heinous attack has left the DA and communities reeling in shock and anger.
We called on the Prosecutor to oppose bail and act mercilessly in the fight for justice for the victims of this crime, and of all cases of murder, attempted murder, assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm, and rape.
The DA expressed our concerns that too many cases end up as undetected dockets, without ever reaching our criminal justice system, and with too many cases withdrawn from the court’s roll due to the failure of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to adequately investigate reported cases. This leaves perpetrators free to commit more crimes, while victims don’t receive the justice and closure they deserve.
With the festive season ahead of us, the DA calls for communities to act decisively against crime by establishing and maintaining functional neighbourhood watches, with the full support of law enforcement and the Dawid Kruiper municipality.
While we welcome the swift response by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in arresting the suspect and recovering the stolen items, we will again write to the Provincial Police Commissioner, Lt Gen Koliswa Otola, to revise SAPS’s plans to bolster safety in the Upington area, especially as we prepare to observe the National 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. This is of critical importance given that the Northern Cape was the only province to record increases in violent crimes such as murder and attempted murder, at the start of 2025.
The DA will closely monitor the case, which was postponed until next year, to ensure that the suspect remains behind bars and that justice is served.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with the survivor, who is being treated in hospital.