Mr Chairman, I would like to reply as follows to the question put by the hon member.

As a result of the death of Miriam Cassim on 11 March 1988 and the death of Nirmala Singh on 3 August 1987, the SA Police opened murder dockets which are still being investigated. As is the case with all other murder cases, the investigation of these cases is continuing unabated. The murder and robbery unit of the SA Police in Durban is conducting the investigation in both these cases.

I wish to point out to the hon member that every clue is accurately and carefully followed up. In the process all resources at the disposal of the SA Police are utilised in order to trace the person or persons responsible for the death of the victims. Without furnishing details, I can assure the hon member that a number of important clues are being followed up at present. In addition, the programme “Police File” is also being used to obtain as much information as possible from the public. Particulars of the murder of Nirmala Singh were televised on this programme shortly after the incident occurred. It is expected that particulars of the murder of Miriam Cassim will be televised shortly.

Information regarding these murder cases has also been published in the local media. In spite of the fact that substantial rewards were offered and an appeal was made to the public to furnish information to the Police which could lead to the arrest and the conviction of the perpetrators, up until now no reaction has been received. The SA Police is dependent on the co-operation of the public. The public often has at its disposal information which they regard as unimportant while it could be of inestimable value to the SA Police. Unfortunately the public is not mindful of this fact and this apparently unimportant information is never brought to the attention of the Police. Therefore, I wish to make an appeal to hon members to inform their voters in this regard when they move about their constituencies. Hon members can encourage their voters to keep their eyes and ears open and to convey to the Police any information regarding crime which come to their attention. In this way we will be assured of greater success in the apprehension of criminals and will be able to combat crime in general more effectively.

In spite of the fact that the prevention of crime is the statutory responsibility of the SA Police, it is also the personal goal of every Police official. It is for this reason that the co-operation of the public is always greatly appreciated. I would like to reiterate my appeal to the public to assist the SA Police in combatting crime.

In conclusion, I would like to assure the hon member that the cases raised here today are receiving the best attention possible. I have confidence in the SA Police. In crime detection their achievements in the past proved that they have produced some of the best results in the world.

Mr Chairman, I have listened to the hon the Minister and I immediately want to tell him I am extremely disappointed that in the case of Miriam Cassim Tar Mohamed the Police File television programme was not used for making the public aware of that murder. The hon the Minister knows that it was also a very brutal murder and it is cause for extreme concern that that facility was not utilised.

However, more importantly, I want to tell the hon the Minister this afternoon—if he does not already know—there is disquiet in the community from which all of us come that murderers are not being brought to book. There is ample evidence of this in regard to the greater Durban area from which I come. If the hon the Minister were to look at his records he will see that over the past two years there have been some 11 or 12 unsolved murders involving brutality. I want to say to the hon the Minister this afternoon that genuine concern is expressed in the community about its safety. It is our duty to assuage those feelings.

I also want to tell the hon the Minister that there is a perception in that community that two standards are employed when murders are being dealt with, seen against the background of what I have said about unsolved brutal murders in the community. In my community it is perceived that when it comes to the apprehension of murderers one standard is applied for one section of the community and another for another section of the community. When a particular section has the benefit of the use of all resources, the hon the Minister will agree, there is genuine cause for concern.

The case I just raised with the hon the Minister was that of the late Miriam Cassim Tar Mohamed. Why was it not publicised on television timeously? I would like to have a very firm commitment from the hon the Minister this afternoon that in the case of all murders that take place in our community the full resource of the Police department will be employed to track down the perpetrators of these crimes. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I can only endorse what has been said by the hon member for Springfield because unfortunately—rightly or wrongly—that perception prevails within the ranks of the Indian people. I sincerely trust that the hon the Minister, having heard the case put forward here today, will give this matter his serious attention.

I do not know whether—as in the case of Phoenix where it is visible—the Police authorities do not have adequate transport to patrol such a vast area. That can be one of the reasons for the inadequate police patrols. Similarly, the absence of adequate funds for the Police Force operating in the area denies them certain facilities which could in a way contribute to their performance of their tasks and duties.

I accept the assurances given by the hon the Minister and hopefully in the not too distant future we will have some answers to these unsolved murders which have been recorded and to which the hon member for Springfield referred. I hope that we can win the confidence of the Indian community.

I would like to add a plea in connection with what the hon the Minister has said. The task of policing the country is not the task of the Police alone. I think the Indian community must also make its own contribution. If they have some information that they can pass on to the Police it must be done without fear. I think that is an important contribution that the community can and should make in supplementing and assisting the Police in discharging their responsibilities. I think policing is not a task that can be done entirely by the Police because they need information and assistance if it is at all available. To know about something and not to make it available … [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, despite what has been said already I want to commend the hon the Minister’s department and in particular the SA Police for the swift action that was taken with regard to the Sonwadi murder in Lenasia. Within two weeks of this brutal murder the perpetrators of the crime were arrested and the court case is now pending. We need to give credit where credit is due.

Talk about Stompie as well!

With regard to the citizens or the community being involved I think we need a much more widely publicised awareness campaign in the community whereby the people are made aware as to what a citizen’s arrest is all about and the meaningful role that can be played by the community.

In Lenasia we too have numerous unsolved murders—perhaps too many to mention in such a short period of time. However, as I said initially, where credit is due we give it. I therefore want to place on record our appreciation for the swift action of the Police with regard to the recent arrests that were made.

Mr Chairman, I want to thank hon members for their contributions. I want to thank the hon member for Lenasia Central who has just taken his seat in particular.

Last week when I was here I was the target of the hon member for Springfield who said that the Police was not really seriously pursuing the solving of crimes including murders against so-called political people. The hon member requested me to speed up matters as far as possible to solve the murder of Dr Asvat. As we all know two people have been arrested for that murder. I really thought when I came here today that the hon member would thank me.

*However, it seems to me that he is angry with me, because today he is again quarreling with me about other things.

†Therefore I am grateful to the hon member for Lenasia Central for at least acknowledging the fact.

This stresses the point that I would like to make to hon members. A murder is a murder as far as the SA Police are concerned and we are utilising all our resources to solve every murder. I want to give the unqualified assurance today that it does not matter to us whether a victim is White, Black, Coloured or Indian. If he has been murdered we try to solve the case with all the means at our disposal. I want to give this assurance to hon members. Hon members spoke about perceptions.

I am going back to my department in this regard. We read the things that hon members say here because we are concerned about perceptions. If there is a wrong perception—the hon member mentioned it here too—we want to change it if it is not based on the truth. I want to tell hon members that in the case of a murder the instructions from my office and from the offices of the Commissioner of Police and police officers of the murder and robbery squads right across the country are to follow up every clue to make sure that the perpetrators are caught.

I am sorry that it has not been televised yet, as I have said. You know, we only have limited time on television. We have only 15 minutes on Fridays, but I will make sure that it is done as soon as possible.

Speak to your colleague!

His time is also limited. He does not want to give me more time. We have also considered doing it in some other way, but we have not yet succeeded in doing so.

†We are also using other methods, but I can assure the hon member that we are, as was his request, going to use the resources of the SA Police fully to ensure that we trace the perpetrators of these evil deeds. I thank the hon member for Glenview for his call upon the public to help us. We cannot do everything on our own. We do not have enough manpower. I need more men and we need more money to do that. Hon members will appreciate that we are doing our utmost with the means at our disposal. If the public can help us, I think it will assist us greatly to catch these people at an early stage. I thank hon members for this balanced view and in conclusion I thank them and assure them that we are doing our utmost to catch these people, like we caught the two men who murdered Dr Asvat.