Crime statistics: Slight stabilisation, but mammoth task of addressing high levels still lies ahead

18 February 2022

The police's latest figures indicate a slight stabilisation for various categories of crime, but the mammoth task of addressing the current high levels still lies ahead.

Murder and attempted murder have increased with 8,9% and 3,5%, respectively. South Africa's murder rate is approximately 37 per 100 000 of the population in comparison to the average international murder rate of 7 people per 100 000.  This is a clear indication of how extremely high the country's crime levels are.

The large number of vigilantism incidents and bundu court cases included in the murder rate points to the fact that the people have lost their faith in the police and are increasingly taking the law into their own hands.

Concerning the feared trio crimes, robbery (10 524 incidents) and robbery with aggravating circumstances (34 143) have decreased with 11% and 1,3%, respectively; while robberies at residential premises (5 760) decreased with 0,4%. The third trio crime, namely carjacking, however, increased with 13,8% to 5 455. That is 661 more incidents than the 4 794 that occurred during the corresponding period last year.

Likewise, truck-jackings rose to 448 incidents, an increase of 2,8%, and there were 6 incidents of bank robbery compared to only 1 in the same period over the course of the last three years.

When it comes to gender-based violence, the murder and attempted murder of women increased, but it is encouraging that incidents of rape (11 315) and sexual assault (2 069) decreased with 7,4% and 13,4%, respectively.

These figures are still unacceptably high, though, and the FF Plus is of the opinion that it would be valuable to know in how many cases of rape, murder and attempted murder of women the victim had previously filed a complaint with the police for, among other things, domestic violence.

Today in the parliamentary Portfolio Committee for Police, the FF Plus suggested to the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, and the national Commissioner, Gen. Khehla Sitole, that these statistics must also be calculated and recorded.

Minister Cele agreed to discuss the matter and the FF Plus will be sure to take it up with him seeing as it could play a significant part in the prevention of crimes against women in the future.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 18 February 2022