The DA’s Push for Better Crime Data

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is urging Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia to make sure the next set of crime statistics gives a clear, broken‑down picture of violence against women and children. They warn that if the numbers stay flawed, the government’s response to gender‑based violence and femicide (GBVF) could be misguided.

Why the Current Numbers Are Problematic

Lisa Schickerling, the DA’s spokesperson on police, wrote to Cachalia asking the South African Police Service (SAPS) to fix the errors in its data. She also wants a firm date for releasing corrected figures if the November deadline cannot be met.

The call comes while the government rolls out President Cyril Ramaphosa’s latest GBVF plan, which includes a 60‑day audit of unsolved murders, attempted murders, rapes and serious sexual offences involving women and children, plus funding to clear forensic backlogs.

What Went Wrong with SAPS Statistics

Earlier concerns raised by Minister Cachalia himself highlighted that SAPS’ crime‑recording system often mistakes cases involving women and children. In March, IOL reported that he admitted the data was not always captured correctly and warned that publishing it in its current form could mislead the public and policymakers.

According to the DA, SAPS has now told Parliament that its statistics on crimes against women and children are “inherently inaccurate” and basically unusable.

Double‑Counting and Other Errors

The main issues identified are:

• GBV offences being counted more than once, which can make the number of victims appear higher than the total recorded for certain crimes such as rape.
• Inconsistent recording of victims’ ages and sexes.
• Problems linking victims to the correct charges.

The Impact on Fighting Gender‑Based Violence

Schickerling questioned how the government can allocate resources effectively when the foundation data is wrong. “How can we properly fight GBVF if the very statistics we rely on are inherently wrong?” she asked.

The DA argues that flawed numbers hide the true scale of the GBVF crisis, make it hard to track progress, prevent smart resource allocation, and weaken accountability of the police.

What the DA Wants from the Police Minister

A Clear Deadline for Fixed Figures

The DA is demanding that the upcoming crime statistics be accurate and free of the identified flaws. If SAPS cannot meet the November release date, Schickerling wants Minister Cachalia to pledge a specific date when the corrected data will be made public.

Future Reports Must Be Reliable

Beyond the immediate fix, the party calls for all future crime‑statistics releases to be prepared using accurate, disaggregated data. This would allow the country to understand the real scale of GBVF and measure whether government actions are making a difference.

Looking Ahead

Addressing these data problems is seen as a crucial step toward strengthening South Africa’s response to gender‑based violence. Reliable statistics will help policymakers target interventions, monitor outcomes, and hold institutions accountable.

Conclusion

The DA’s appeal highlights a simple but vital need: trustworthy numbers. By fixing the way crimes against women and children are recorded, the government can build smarter strategies, allocate help where it’s most needed, and move closer to ending the GBVF epidemic.