In just five months of this year, 63 children were killed in the Western Cape.

This was revealed during a sitting of the Standing Committee on Social Development in the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday. These murder statistics stem from between the first of April and the end of August.

SAPS’ Major General Luyanda Damoyi advised that the child murders were driven by gang-related activity by just over 22%, followed by arguments and fights. Damoyi says the majority of the incidents were reported in Kraaifontein at 11%, followed by arguments and fights at just over 14%.  

Other causative factors include robberies, revenge or retaliation, accidental or caught in the line of fire at just under 10% and mob justice, arson, concealment of birth and rage, which fall below 2%.  

“On causative factors, it is important to indicate that 18 murders of the kids, we have not identified the cause or the motive, so they are still under investigation,” said Damoyi.  

Damoyi says the majority of the incidents were reported in Kraaifontein at 11%, followed by Phillipi East at 7.9%. Just over 6% of these incidents were reported in Delft, Nyanga, Mfuleni and Samora Machel. Under 5% of these incidents were reported in Kleinvlei, Elsies River, as well as in Bishop Lavis, Ravensmead, Gugulethu, Harare and Kuils River.  

The largest group of children killed during this time period are between the ages of 15 and 17. 

ALSO READ: 11-year-old killed in suspected gang shooting in Kraaifontein

This article has been updated to include additional information.