For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Shomolekae.

Making headlines: 7 710 murders in 3 months, but Cele notes reported murders reducing; DA wants urgent proclamation of election date as it readies for manifesto launch; And, West African bloc urges Senegal to set new election date

7 710 murders in 3 months, but Cele notes reported murders reducing

Police Minister Bheki Cele believes South African Police Services’ efforts to prevent, combat and arrest criminals is proving to be effective, while noting a reduction in the number of murders reported in the last two quarters.

Cele was addressing the media, today, on the third quarter crime statistics for October to December 2023.

While the number of reported murders reduced in the last two consecutive quarters, 7 710 people were murdered between October and December, an increase of 155 more people when compared with the same period in the previous year.

32 229 suspects were arrested for common assault and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; 4 882 suspects arrested for murder and attempted murder; and 4 783 suspects were arrested for sexual offences related crimes, such as rape and attempted rape.

Cele said 6 383 people were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs; 3 747 suspects were arrested for dealing in drugs, while 16 942 suspects were arrested for being in possession of drugs.

Cele added that 2 581 suspects were arrested for being in possession of illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition.

DA wants urgent proclamation of election date as it readies for manifesto launch

The Democratic Alliance expressed its readiness for its national manifesto launch, tomorrow and wants President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently announce the date of the 2024 elections.

The DA will launch its national manifesto at a march to the Union Buildings, with the party expecting about 15 000 supporters, with the majority being from Gauteng.

DA head of policy Mat Cuthbert explained that the party’s manifesto focussed on key solutions needed to turn the country around. He said the party believed that with civil society and business, it could rescue South Africa.

DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube highlighted that the party was launching its manifesto in a “very difficult time in South Africa”, where 30-million people were living in poverty, seven out of ten young people did not have jobs and many of the country’s communities were unsafe.

And, West African bloc urges Senegal to set new election date

West Africa's main regional bloc ECOWAS has called on authorities in Senegal to set a new date for the presidential election in accordance with a ruling that its postponement to December was unconstitutional.

A bill that delayed the February 25 vote and plunged the country into electoral uncertainty was overturned yesterday by Senegal's Constitutional Council. But it was unclear whether President Macky Sall would comply with the council's request for the poll to be held as soon as possible.

Any resistance from the authorities would risk more unrest. The week-long electoral crisis has already led to violent protests and warnings of authoritarian overreach in one of coup-hit West Africa's more stable democracies.

ECOWAS, which has previously said the postponement went against Senegal's democratic tradition, urged all stakeholders in the electoral process to comply with the decision of the Constitutional Council and called on authorities to set a date for the presidential election.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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