Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The latest crime stats reiterate the fact that police across South Africa are failing, and the government has let crime escalate to a point of disbelief.
On Friday, 19 November 2021, Police Minister Bheki Cele released the latest crime statistics, highlighting instances recorded between 1 July 2021 and 30 September 2021.
Murder increases in SA
“In the three months of reporting, a 20.7% increase in murder was recorded,” Minister Cele stated. He noted that compared to the 2019/2020 fiscal year, which included no lockdown, the murder percentage change would have been a 13.2% increase.
In South Africa, 6 163 people were killed between July 2021 and the end of September 2021. This is 1 056 more people.
Reflecting on the increase in murder, Cele said, “Among the many other factors that contributed to the increase in murders, was the July unrests which affected mostly the KwaZulu-Natal province and Gauteng. This is evidenced by the KwaZulu-Natal province recording a 44.4% increase in its murder cases in the period of July to September this year.”
In KZN, 1 744 persons were killed during this time, an increase of 536 lives compared to the previous period. Additionally, between July and September 2021, 229 individuals were murdered in Gauteng.
Causes/location of the murders
Cele stated that 1 334 homicides took place at the victim’s home. Moreover, 2 424 persons were murdered in public spaces such as streets, open fields, parking lots, and abandoned buildings.
Adding to this, there were 424 murders at bars, shebeens, nightclubs, and bottle stores. It is worth noting that liquor outlets are the third most likely place to be killed in South Africa.
Between July and September 2021, 23 SAPS officers were slain. The province of KwaZulu-Natal had the most with six police killings, followed by Gauteng and the Western Cape, which each had four.
Contact Crime
Overall, contact crimes increased by 1.0%
When compared to a regular period prior to the country being placed under lockdown, this would have resulted in a 10.7% drop.
Arguments, acts of mob justice, robberies, and gang-related murders are the top four causes of homicide in South Africa.
Rape
Between July and September 2021, 9 556 people were raped.
This represents a 7,1% increase over the preceding reporting period.
A sample of 6 144 rape cases found that 3 951 of the rape occurrences occurred at the victim’s or rapist’s residence.
In 1 383 of the rape instances, alcohol and drugs were implicated.
Domestic violence was included in 400 rape cases, meaning the victim and perpetrator were in a relationship.
Cele emphasises that it is a disgrace and deeply disturbing, with almost 10 000 people being brutalised and sexually violated in just three months in South Africa.
“The majority of people raped are women and those most vulnerable in our society. These statistics show they are often violated by people they know and trust, in the comfort of their own homes or in places where they thought they were safe.”
Farm Attacks
Between July and September 2021, 15 murders happened on farms and smallholdings.
In comparison to the preceding reporting period, there have been two more homicides.
Property-related crimes
While total Property-Related Crimes fell by 6.2%, Cele states that police are still cracking down on Stock Theft, which fell by 9.2%. Compared to the regular period of 2019/2020, the number of stock theft cases would have decreased by 15.4%.
Stock theft declined by 9.2% in seven of the country’s nine provinces, with fewer occurrences.
Burglary at non-residential locations increased by 18.2%, as the country experienced fewer Lockdown restrictions and returned to regular economic activity.
Assault
The SAPS crime data, according to Cele, once again demonstrates that South Africa is an extraordinarily violent country.
In the three months following the report, 72 762 cases of common assault and assault GBH were filed with the police.
Over 13,000 assault cases were tied to domestic violence.
In 3 695 of the assault GBH cases, alcohol and drugs were implicated.
The victim’s or perpetrator’s home, public venues, and liquor stores are the top three places where these assaults occur.
Arguments continue to be the most common reason for assault, accounting for over 13 thousand instances, followed by retribution or revenge.
Trio crimes
Robbery and Residential and Non-Residential Robberies, which are among the country’s most feared crimes, have decreased by 6,7% and 14%, respectively.
When compared to the similar prior, aggravated robberies such as carjackings climbed by 3.5%.
In the months of July to September 2021, there were 388 fewer residential robberies than in the same time the previous financial year.
Cash-in-transit heists
“Police are starting to make much needed gains in responding to brazen gangs targeting cash vans,” the police minister claims.
According to the SAPS, there were 12 fewer cash-in-transit (CIT) robberies between July and September this year.
CITs have decreased by 18.8%, primarily due to increased police visibility and intelligence-gathering interceptions of would-be gangs. However, 52 such attacks in three months are unacceptably high, and law enforcement must act swiftly.
The SAPS must continue to fine-tune its approach and responses to this crime, according to National Commissioner.
Kidnappings
Between July and September 2021, the police received 2000 reports of kidnappings.
The majority of the kidnappings reported were high-jacking-related, followed by robbery and rape-related kidnappings.
52 kidnapping instances out of 620 were ransom-related, with the majority occurring in Gauteng province.
Human trafficking was responsible for seven kidnappings.
Looking at the crime figures more closely, the following towns and cities in KZN appear to be troublesome with the following crimes.
Contact Crime:
- Plessislaer
- Inanda
- Umlazi
- KwaDukuza
- Phoenix
- Empangeni
Murder:
- Inanda
- Umlazi
- Plessislaer
- KwaMashu
- Verulam
- Phoenix
- Mariannhill
- Ntuzuma
- Chatsworth
- Mountain Rise
- Isipingo
Attempted murder:
- Umlazi
- Phoenix
- Inanda
- KwaMashu
- KwaDukuza
- Plessislaer
- Empangeni
- Chatsworth
- Mariannhil
- Ntuzuma
- Verulam
- Wentworth
- Isipingo
Assault with the intent to grievous bodily harm
- Plessislaer
- Madadeni
- Inanda
- KwaDukuza
- Empangeni
- Ntuzuma
- Umlazi
Common assault:
- Plessislaer
- Phoenix
- Chatsworth
- Empangeni
- Madadeni
- KwaDukuza
Common robbery:
- Durban Central
- Pinetown
Robbery with aggravating circumstances:
- Durban Central
- Pinetown
- KwaDukuza
- Umlazi
- Inanda
- Plessislaer
Carjacking:
- Umlazi
- Pinetown
- Mariannhill
Robbery of Cash-in-Transit
- Ladysmith
- Kwamsame
- Plessislaer
Rape:
- Inanda
- Umlazi
- Plessislaer
- Ntuzuma
Kidnapping:
- Umlazi
- Pinetown
- Ladysmith
- Durban Central
- KwaMashu
Arson:
- Greenwood Park
- Verulam
- Isipingo
- Pinetown
- Newlands East
- Eshowe
- KwaDukuza
- Phoenix
- Empangeni
- Umkomaas
- Durban Central
- Madadeni
- KwaMashu
- Gamalakhe
- Pietermaritzburg
- Umzinto
- Montclair
- Inanda
- Umlazi
- Chatsworth
- Kwamsane
Burglary at non-residential premises
- Pinetown
- Durban Central
- Empangeni
- Verulam
- Isipingo
- Pietermaritzburg
- Montclair
- Madadeni
- Greenwood Park
- Amanzimtoti
- Nongoma
- Umzinto
- Melmoth
- Inanda
- Jozini
- Msinga
- Umbilo
- Umlazi
- Osizweni
- Phoenix
- Chatsworth
Stock theft:
- Amangwe
- Utrecht
- Taylors Halt
- Intsikeni
- Estcourt
- Dannhauser
- Bergville
- Bulwer
- Ntabamhlophe
- Upper Tugela
- Impendle
- Hlobane
- Mondlo
- Paulpietersburg
Other Serious Crime:
- Durban Central
- Phoenix
- Newcastle
Commercial Crime:
- Durban Central
- Pinetown
- Newcastle
- Richards Bay
Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs:
- Newcastle
- Ulundi
What are your opinions on the subject? Let us know what you think in the comments area below.
RELATED NEWS
