While some categories of reported crime continued their downward trend, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of armed robberies of homes, banks, and businesses over the past year. This is according to the crime statistics for the period April 2006 to March 2007 released yesterday by Minister of Safety & Security, Charles Nqakula.

In his press release the minister fore-grounded the decreases over the past year in the numbers of certain categories of crime including: common assault (-7,7%); common robbery (-4,8%); indecent assault (-4,5%); rape (-4,2%); assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (-4,9%); and, attempted murder (-2,1%). See table 1.

Other categories of crime which showed a decline in absolute numbers when compared to the previous year were: malicious damage to property (-0,6%); burglary at residential premises (-4,9%), theft from motor vehicles (-10,8%); and, stock-theft (-0,3%).

However, the number of vehicles reported stolen increased marginally by 0,4% (to 86 298); and there were also 61 690 commercial crimes reported, an increase of 13,8%. The number of businesses' burgled increased by 7,5% to 58 438. According to a report [PDF] released along with the statistics, a large part of this increase was due to a spike in burglaries of business premises during last year's three month long security guard strike.

There was also a 3,5% increase in the number of murders (to 19 202). There have been 119 305 reported murders in South Africa over the past six years. The report ascribed much of this increase to the 5,7% jump in the number of robberies with aggravating circumstances (from 119 726 to 126 558).

Within this particular category (see table 2) the number of robberies at residential premises increased by 24.4%; of business premises by 52,5%; and, of banks by 118,6%. Cash-in-transit heists increased by 21,9%, and car hijackings by 6,0%.

Gauteng accounted for most aggravated robberies of homes (58.5%) and businesses (64,6%). In Pretoria the number of such robberies of homes increased by 21,6% to 1486; and of businesses by 78% to 680. In Johannesburg they increased by 36,9% (to 2211) and 25,9% (to 1635) respectively.

The report noted that car hijackings and house robberies occur mainly "at residential premises in the wealthier and middle class suburbs." In many of these areas there were even more dramatic increases.

For instance, in Sandton the number of aggravated robberies of homes increased by 41,7% (to 343); and of businesses by 63% (to 150). In Randburg the increases were 133,3% (to 161) and 137,5% (to 114) respectively. In Parkview the number of attacks on homes more than doubled, from 54 to 110.

In Midrand there were 252 aggravated robberies of homes, an 89,5% increase, and 102 robberies of businesses (a 52,2% increase). In Pretoria the number of aggravated robberies of homes increased from 98 to 222 in Garsfontein; and from 126 to 211 in Brooklyn. (Detailed crime statistics from every police station in the country can be accessed here.)

According to the report the number of violent attacks on the farming community increased by 24,8% to 794; while the number of farm dwellers murdered decreased by 2,3% to 86. There have been 587 farm murders over the past six years. What is striking about these figures is the high mortality rate per incident.

There were 769 attacks on members of the SAPS over the past year, with 108 police officers killed. 694 police officers have been killed over the past six years. According to the report, "the proportion of fatal attacks (incidents in which one or more police officers succumb to injuries sustained during attacks) during 2006/2007 stood at 14,0%."