The minister of police, Bheki Cele, has revealed that 4 976 people were killed between January and March this year, which increased the murder rate by 8.4 per cent.
He was speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria where he outlined the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2020/21.
Cele said the top four causative factors of these murders include arguments, residential and non-residential robberies, street robberies, mob justice and gang-related incidents.
“A total of 387 more people were killed compared to the corresponding period in the previous financial year. It is concerning that the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces recorded double-digit increases, standing at 21.5 per cent and 16.9 per cent respectively. From a sample of 4 911 murders, a total of 2 378 people were killed in public places, like streets, open fields, recreational parks, beaches and abandoned buildings.”
Meanwhile, 24 officers were also killed during these three months.
Rape
Cele said while there has been a decline in sexual offences cases, 9 518 people were raped between January and March. “A sample of 6 893 of the rape incidents revealed that 4 130 of such incidents took place at the home of the victim or the home of the alleged rapist.
The Eastern Cape’s Lusikisiki Police Station recorded the highest incidents of rape, overtaking the Inanda station, which has held the number one position for some years.
Rape kits and DNA backlog
According to the police minister, 42 per cent of dockets for crimes committed against women and children that had been outstanding for over a year have now been finalised. He further highlighted that the SAPS is also hiring more forensic analysts to work through the backlog.
Farm attacks
In the first three months of 2021, 11 people were killed in 10 incidents of murder, which occurred in farms and smallholdings. Four of those murdered were farm dwellers, four were farmers or farm owners while two of the victims were farm employees and one was a night guard at a farm workshop.
Property-related crimes
Cele indicated that all property-related crimes decreased by 20.8 per cent while stock theft took a dive, recording an 11.1 per cent decline. “Sheep, poultry and cattle are the top three stolen livestock. Burglary at residential and non-residential premises declined drastically by double digits. Theft of vehicles also recorded double-digit declines.”
Assault and alcohol
While all cases of assault have decreased by over nine per cent, there were still over 75 thousand cases of common assault and assault GBH, which were opened by the police between January and March.
“Two thousand eight hundred and fifty-five incidents of assault GBH confirmed that alcohol was consumed either by the victim or the perpetrator or both, while 2 047 incidents of assault GBH took place at either a bar, nightclub, a tavern or a shebeen. Alcohol abuse is the ‘albatross around one’s neck’ for us in the SAPS and certainly for the communities we serve.”
Trio crimes CIT and truckjackings
Aggravated robberies, such as carjackings increased by five per cent. According to the police minister, 354 trucks or courier vans were targeted for their cargo, which is usually food, appliances and other priced goods.
Cele further stated that in the three months of this year, Cash-in-transit heists decreased by 10.56 per cent.
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