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Murder, rape and assault all up according to latest police crime statistics — “South Africa is a VERY violent country,” says Police Minister General Bheki Cele. In his speech on 19 November 2021 on South Africa’s Quarter Two Crime Statistics 2021/2022, Police Minister General Bheki Cele emphasised that the statistics pertained to the period under which the country was in varying stages of lockdown and that they ‘compared to a corresponding period in the 2019/2020 financial year’. From https://www.gov.za/speeches/speaking-notes-delivered-police-minister-general%C2%A0bheki-cele-mp-occasionrelease-%C2%A0quarter
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hile the figures did not ‘reflect a crime holiday’, he said, neither were they ‘as alarming as the previous quarter figures, which were skewed’. Murder According to Cele, murder increased by 20.7 percent during the three months of reporting — but “when compared to the previous normal period of (the) 2019/2020 financial year, a period with no lockdown, the murder percentage change would have been a 13.2 percent increase,” he said. The percentage translates to 6,163 murders, up by 1,056 year-on-year,
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though ‘compared to a period without lockdown, this would have resulted in an increase of 717 deaths.’ The July unrests were contributing factors to the murder rate, he continued, claiming the lives of 1,744 people. That said, “While it is clear that the July unrests contributed to the murder figures before us, we must concede that other provinces such as Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and the North West recorded double digit increases in murder cases during this reporting period,” Cele noted, adding: “However, a glimmer of hope is shining through from the Western Cape province. It is the only province to record a decrease in its murder cases.”
SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA NOVEMBER 2021
Causes of murder According to the stats, 1,334 murders occurred at the homes of victims and perpetrators. “From a sample of 5,176 cases it was determined that… 2,424 people were murdered in public places such as streets, open fields, parking areas and abandoned buildings… (and) 424 of the murders occurred at taverns, shebeens, nightclubs and bottle stores,” he said. During this period, 23 SAPS officers were killed. Contact crimes Overall, said Cele, contact crimes increased by 1.0 percent but, he added, “If a comparison is made to a normal period prior to the country being placed
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