Latest stats reflect high crime levels

For the second consecutive quarter, there has been a decrease in the country’s murder figures between July and September, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced on Friday.

Minister Cele was delivering the release of the crime stats for the second quarter of 2023/2024 citing that the drop was an indication that the SAPS strengthened efforts to combat crime was yielding results across the country.

According to Minister Cele, there has been a 0.8% drop in the number of people killed between the three month periods in South Africa.

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Previously a 3.1% decline in murders was noted between May and July.

The Minister lauded recent efforts to strengthen capacity of crime intelligence, adequate resources and support to SAPS units at provincial and national levels.

“We believe the declines are as a result of a combination of operational policing strategies as well as policy interventions, that we are seeing an improvement in crime.

“Over and above ongoing policing operations, we know this administration has gone to lengths in capacitating critical units of the police service, in order to keep communities safer,” he said.

During the same period an increase in contact crimes was recorded while a drop was recorded in sexual offences, TRIO crimes, contact related and property related crimes.

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Over 6 000 people were murdered during the same period. According to the minister, 881 were women and 293 were children. Firearms claimed the lives of 3 106 victims.

KwaZulu-Natal reported a double-digit percentage decrease in the murder rates, with Inanda and Umlazi police stations which previously reported the highest murders in the country also recorded a decrease.

The Limpopo province also reported double-digit percentage decreases while, the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape also recorded a slight drop in incidents of murder, however five provinces, including Gauteng and Western Cape recorded increased murders.

Cele cited that arguments, vigilantism and robbery were still highly linked to murder incidents in the majority of the provinces.

Minister Cele who also spoke on Gender-Based Violence said stats continued to show that many women and children were not safe.

He stated that Sexual offences had decreased by 35.9% however painted a grim picture of incidents involving female victims. The minister noted that 1 514 incidents of attempted murder, while 14 401 Assault GBH incidents were recorded.

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During this, the minister said 293 children were killed in the same period and in addition to this, 361 incidents of attempted murder and 1 820 of Assault GBH were perpetrated against children.

In addition, 10 516 rape incidents were reported to the SAPS, 4 726 of which took place at either the home of the victim or the home of the perpetrator which are known to the victim.