DA queries validity of crime stats

Cape Town - The validity of the recently released annual crime statistics was called into question by the DA on Tuesday.

"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," DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard said in a statement.

"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."

During the release of the crime stats on Friday, Nhleko stated the figures were indeed audited by the AG.

Nhleko on Tuesday dismissed claims by Kohler-Barnard that he had lied.

"The AG audits the performance of the SA Police Service. The statistics are part of that performance of the SAPS... unless of course the DA says the AG then separated the performance information and says no the stats are something completely different than the SAPS has to do," explained Nhleko's spokesperson Musa Zondi.

"Working on the understanding that the AG audits the performance, the stats are part of that performance of the police service."

The AG's office was not immediately available for comment.