By Annisa Essack

22:10:2020

KwaZulu Natal has been identified as one of the epicentres of gender-based violence in the country.

This according to KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala, who was addressing the provincial executive council yesterday. The meeting, which was also attended by Police Minister Bheki Cele, Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Bheki Ntuli and National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sithole, was focused on dealing with the scourge of escalating levels of crime in the province.

Zikalala said the brutality the country was witnessing, regarding violence against women and children, was alarming. He added that thirty hot spots had been identified in the country and, out of those, six were in KZN. The problematic areas identified included uMlazi, Empangeni, Osizweni, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu and Inanda, which were regarded as rape capitals of the country.

The Premier said, as part of their turnaround strategy, they will implement a stabilising strategy targeting eleven police stations that were prioritised because of the high level of crime reported. The police stations were Plessislaer, Durban Central, uMlazi, Inanda, Ntuzuma, Phoenix, KwaMashu, Mariannhill, Verulam, Cato Manor and KwaMakhutha.

He said crime statistics painted a depressing picture that showed an increase in serious crimes in KZN.