• We rank under the top 30 precincts for the following crimes (the position out of 30 in brackets): Burglary residential (five), arson (six), burglary non-residential (11), theft out of a motor vehicle (18), stock theft (24), driving under the influence (24) and common robbery (27).

• Provincially, Middelburg takes the top spot for the most crimes in the following categories (number of crimes reported in brackets): Common robbery (56), non-residential burglary (71) and driving under the influence (74). • We have the second-highest number of reported crimes provincially for residential burglary (194), theft of a motor vehicle or motorcycle (34) and theft out of a motor vehicle (153). Common assault (93), theft (237), and commercial crime (117) are the third highest in the province.

• Other crimes, for which the precinct is ranked under the top 30 in the province, are malicious damage to property (70), shoplifting (44), stock theft (38), attempted murder (21), truck hijacking (three), murder (six), sexual offences (15), assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm (56), robbery with aggravating circumstances (83), rape (14), carjacking (six), non-residential robberies (19) and drug-related crime (21).

Crimes that decreased compared to the same quarter in 2020 are sexual assault (zero cases this year compared to two in 2020), burglary at non-residential premises (71 this year compared to 75 in 2020), illegal possession of firearms and ammunition (one this year, three in 2020) and sexual offences detected as a result of police action (zero this year compared to one in 2020).

The lockdown in 2020, which imposed strict restrictions on residents’ movements, especially at night, made for some unusual statistics, with most crimes seemingly skyrocketing compared to the same quarter in 2021.

Murder increased by 500%, rape by 600% and total sexual offences in general by 275%.

Compared to the April to June 2019 statistics, sexual offences actually decreased from 16 cases reported then to 15 this quarter.

If 2019 and 2021 are compared, the same decrease can be seen in reported crimes such as assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, sexual assault, carjacking, non-residential and residential burglaries, theft out of a motor vehicle, stock theft, common theft and shoplifting.

In total, contact crimes (330) and contact-related crimes (78) have, however, increased, whether they are compared to the 2020 (152 and 24) or 2019 (303 and 30) quarter.

• Mhluzi ranked under the top 30 precincts in the province for sexual offences (27/30), assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (12/30), common assault (seven/30), common robbery (30/30), rape (26/30), attempted sexual offence (three/30), malicious damage to property (16/30), residential burglaries (16/30), theft of a motor vehicle or motorcycle (13/30), theft out of a motor vehicle (nine/30), theft (18/30), shoplifting (22/30) and driving under the influence (two/30).

• Hendrina is ranked fifth in the province for cash-in-transit robberies and driving under the influence, 12th for contact sexual offences, 17th for drug-related crime, 19th for truck hijacking and theft of a motor vehicle and motorcycle, 26th for commercial crime and 27th for sexual assault cases.

• Belfast is ranked fifth for stock theft, 18th for shoplifting, 26th for attempted murder, 28th for assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, 25th for common assault, 21st for truck hijacking, 25th for theft out of a motor vehicle, 30th for theft and 27th for driving under the influence.

Neighbouring eMalahleni is still the precinct with the most murders in Mpumalanga.