KZN police chief urges restraint amid assault spike
KZN's police chief has made an appeal for calm and emotional restraint in response to an alarming spike in assault cases in the province.
"We have seen an increase in incidents where neighbors, relatives, as well as acquaintances are at loggerheads and end up assaulting each other.
"When counter charges are opened, such cases add to the volume of crime that we record. Road rage has also increased. We've seen incidents also that are contributing to the assault cases. Motorists will argue about travel issues, but end up getting physical with each other."
Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi says analysis points to intolerance and impatience as the main contributors, following a rise in cases of common assault and assault GBH with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He met with local commanders from across the province on Tuesday, and addressed the media in Durban at the Durban Christian Centre.
Mkhwanazi highlighted the Chatsworth policing precinct as a recent hotspot for intolerance.
READ: Mkhwanazi says disproportionate ratio between cops, citizens
"Neighbours fighting over a rubbish bins that are outside and they end up calling the police. Maybe it's because they are so free to report every incident to the police. That's why we're seeing a lot of these cases, because this one will quickly say a neighbour did A to Z and once a case open and the other one will accuse the other one. We end up paving those cases, when you look at them, they're not maybe as serious."
"Common assault becomes a case 'cause they're swearing at each other and, and that increases our volume. But we are also seeing a lot of road rage. Uh, think people love their cars so much that when there's any attempt that you are driving so reckless that you might almost bump someone, that becomes a fight.
"And you're appealing to the community to be tolerant to each other and find amicable ways of resolving differences and not violence."
