The high number of rape cases still remains a concern despite showing a decrease in the 2022/2023 quarter four crime statistics.

This was revealed by the Police Minister, Bheki Cele, this morning.

Cele said the number of rape cases reported decreased in six provinces between January and March.

He said the decline in rape cases is attributed, among other things, to the SAPS upscaling its operations to trace gender-based violence perpetrators, arresting serial sex offenders and rapists, and ongoing men’s dialogues.

“It remains concerning that 10 512 people were raped in the first three months of this year. Four thousand seven hundred and sixty-eight of the rape incidents took place at the home of the victim or at the home of the perpetrator.”

Murder cases

Meanwhile, murder cases have increased by 3.4%. Six thousand two hundred and eighty-nine people were killed with either a firearm, knife, sharp or blunt instruments, stone, or even ‘bare hands’, between January and March this year.

Cele said the majority of the killings took place in KZN, the Western Cape, and Gauteng, with arguments, vigilantism, and robberies topping the motive list for murder.

“KZN also reported the highest figures of multiple-murder cases, followed by the Eastern Cape with 206 and 155 victims, respectively. The Free State, Northern Cape, and Western Cape provinces recorded decreases in murder figures, with both the Western Cape and Northern Cape reporting double-digit decreases in murder cases.

Cele said that to address murder and other contact crimes, R65m has been allocated to 30 crime-heavy stations to address murder and other contact crimes.

He added, over and above, that this additional funding is in response to calls by communities to increase the capability and training of the Tactical Response Teams.

Child murders decreased by almost 20% (19.9%), and a slight decrease was also noted in assault cases involving children. Three hundred and sixty more attempted murder cases involving minors were registered and investigated by the SAPS.

Cele said the women of the country continue to be stalked by violence, mainly at the hands of men.

“A double-digit percentage increase of 21.5% was recorded in attempted murder figures for the fourth quarter. This means there were 1 485 attempted murders of women in South Africa in the first three months of this year. Nine hundred and sixty nine women were killed in the same period, and over 15 000 women were assaulted, and the SAPS is investigating assault cases.”