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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-occasion- release-%C2%A0quarter

While 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, 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.”

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 under lockdown, this would have resulted in a decrease of 10.7 percent.”

Regarding sexual offences, a 4.7 percent increase was recorded but this figure is revised to a decrease of 12.9 percent if compared to previous normal period of 2019/2020 financial year. (sic)

Rape

Between July and September this year, 9,556 people were raped — an increase of 634 cases, amounting to a 7,1 percent increase compared to the previous reporting period. “With almost 10,000 people being brutalised and sexually violated in just three months in South Africa, (this) is a disgrace and deeply disturbing,” he said.

Farm attacks

Fifteen murders occurred on farms and smallholdings between the months of July and September 2021 — two more murders than the previous reporting period, Cele said.

Property-related crimes

One of the categories which showed a decrease was that of property-related crimes — according to Cele, the decrease was 6.2 percent. Stock theft also declined by 9.2 percent. Burglary at non-residential premises, however, recorded a doubledigit increase of 18.2 percent.

Assault

The SAPS crime data demonstrates ‘that South Africa is a VERY violent country’ evidenced by double-digit percentage increases in all assault categories, said Cele. To this end, 72,762 cases of common assault and assault GBH (grievous bodily harm) were opened with the police in the three months of reporting. Over 13,000 of the assault cases were domestic violence-related, and alcohol and drugs were involved in 3,695 of the assault GBH cases, he said.

Aggravated robberies such as carjackings increased by 3.5 percent compared to the previous corresponding period, but there were 388 less residential robberies in the month of July to September 2021, compared to the corresponding period in the previous financial year.

Cash-in-transit (CIT)

“Police are starting to make much-needed gains in responding to brazen gangs targeting cash vans,” Cele said, with 12 less heists committed between July and September this year — a double digit percentage decrease of 18.8 percent.

Contact-related crimes

All contact-related crimes, including arson and malicious damage to property, recorded increases during the second quarter: 298 more cases of arson were reported — a 30,2 percent increase compared to the same time last year, and 28,988 cases of contact-related crimes (1,997 more than the previous reporting period).

Kidnappings

Between July and September 2021, 2,000 kidnapping cases were reported to the police — according to Cele, the majority were high-jacking related, followed by robbery, rape and, “out of a sample of 620 cases, 52 kidnapping cases were ransom related and most occurred in the Gauteng Province. Seven kidnappings were as a result of human trafficking,” he noted.

DNA backlog

“In our continued efforts, as the SAPS, to avoid secondary victimisation at police stations, the rolling-out of GBV (Gender Based Violence) desks is on course,” he said, adding: “These GBV desks are manned by police officers, specifically trained to provide victim-centred assistance… To date, 134 such desks are in operation and the goal is to have a GBV desk in all police stations countrywide. On the same score, the Police Ministry and SAPS management are rolling out the turn-around strategy that is making inroads in tackling the DNA backlog experienced at SAPS Forensic Science Laboratories. We are confident that we will, in the near future, be able to take the nation into confidence and announce progress made on the DNA backlog.”

Major General Thulare Sekhukhune then presented an overview of the 2021/2022 Quarter Two Crime Statistics as follows:

Crime Category

Murder Murder 20.7%

Sexual offences 4.7%

Attempted murder 4.4%

Assault to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) 2.1%

Common assault 0.8%

Common robbery -2.5%

Robbery with aggravating circumstances -3.9%

Rape 7.1%

Sexual assault – 0.3%

Attempted sexual offences -11.3%

Contact sexual offences -12.7%

Carjacking 3.5%

Robbery at residential premises -6.7%

Robbery at non-residential premises -1.4%

Robbery of cash-in-transit (CIT) ***

Bank robbery One case

Truck hijacking -0.2%

Arson 30.2%

Malicious damage to property 6.5%

Burglary at non-residential premises 18.2%

Burglary at residential premises -8.5%

Theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles -14.0

Stock theft -9.2%