Crime stats reliable - AG

Cape Town - The information contained in the latest crime statistics was found to be credible, the auditor general's office said on Tuesday.

While the recently released crime stats were not audited, the system that produced them was.

Earlier on Tuesday, DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard alleged that Police Minister Nathi Nhleko had lied when he stated that the recently released stats were audited.

"The auditor general of South Africa has audited the performance information that forms part of the annual report [which is the report against predetermined objectives] and, as per the AGSA’s methodology, this is audited on a sample basis," said Africa Boso, spokesperson for the AG.

"Although the national crime statistics per se were not audited, the case administration system which produced the crime stats was subjected to an audit and the information was found to be credible."

Boso's statement confirms Nhleko's interpretation that the stats were part of the SAPS performance which was subject to an audit by the AG.

It, however, appeared to contradict Kohler-Barnard's statement.

"The DA will today write to the Minister of Police, Nathi Nhleko, requesting he immediately table the 2013/2014 crime statistics... before Parliament so that the portfolio committee on police can assess the validity of the crime stats and whether or not they have indeed been audited by the office of the auditor general," Kohler-Barnard had said.

"This follows my engagements with the AG's office yesterday who informed me that they have not yet audited these latest crime stats as Minister Nhleko and national police commissioner Riah Phiyega claimed last Friday."