Police Minister Bheki Cele released the latest crime statistics on Friday 19 August, reflecting crimes that were reported to SAPS from April to June of this year.

These crime figures are compared to the same period last year when the country was placed under Lockdown levels 1 and 2 due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

The first quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year, shows decreases in Total Sexual Offences such as Rape, Sexual Assault, Attempted Sexual Offences and Contact Sexual Offences.

This means there was a drop of over 800 cases of sexual offences that are far more often, perpetrated on women.

RAPE:

9 516 rape cases were opened with SAPS, between April and June 2022. This is almost 500 fewer rape cases reported, compared to the same period last year.

While rape cases declined in all provinces, the North West and Northern Cape provinces are the only provinces to report increases in this crime category.

• 3 780 of the rapes took place in the homes of the rapists or homes of the victims.
• 1 546 people were raped in public places such as streets, parks and beaches.
• Public transportation such as buses, taxis and trains are the third most likely places of occurrence for rape cases.

RAPE PROSECUTIONS

Between April and June this year, 286 rapists were convicted through investigative work done by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.

The FCS unit of the SAPS investigates crimes committed against women and children and vulnerable groups.

Out of the 286 rape convictions, 46 of the rapists were sentenced to life behind bars.

While the majority of rapes do take place behind closed doors and are hard to police, we are confident that it is through the FCS detective work that is preventing more rapes, hence the decrease in rape cases during the reporting period.

16 offenders involved in 65 serial sexual offence cases were finalized and convicted.

They will be serving a total of 20 life and 886 years imprisonment.

DNA

The establishment of a joint project between the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and SAPS Forensic Science Laboratories, continues to focus on the prioritization of court-ready cases, where there are outstanding forensic reports.

• A total of 12 283 cases of rape and murder were prioritized as per requests and responded to, from August 2021 to July 2022.
• ALL three categories of assault have reported decreases, this includes Assault GBH which saw over 7% fewer cases.
• Contact crimes cases were 2 205 less compared to the same period last year.

The reduction is inclusive of sexual offences, common robberies, common assault and assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.

All these combined decreases have resulted in a 1,5% drop in all contact crimes.

Heightened police action such as disruptive operations, targeted stop and searches and Vehicle Control Point, between April and June 2022 have also meant more firearms, more drugs were taken off the streets.

An increased number of Domestic Violence perpetrators and drunk drivers were arrested as a result of police actions during the reporting period.

Farm murders also showed a decrease compared to the same comparative period.

Cele says these decreases are most welcomed and are demonstrative outcomes of the work put in by provinces, to increase the police footprint in communities.

Heightened police visibility is yielding positive results. We are expanding our police footprint within limited resources.

MURDER

Cele says the number of murders in this country remains high and worrisome.

• 6 424 people were killed by other persons in South Africa in the first quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year.

This is an increase of 664 more people murdered, compared to the same period last year, when the country was placed under COVID-19 Lockdown levels one and two.

The three main causes for murders remain arguments and misunderstandings.

Retaliation and revenge murders were the second motive for murder and vigilantism was the third most likely cause of murder in South Africa.

The uMlazi, Plessislaer police stations in KwaZulu-Natal and Mthatha station in the Eastern Cape registered the highest murder cases during this period.

221 murder cases were reported in those three areas, combined.

The Police ministry and SAPS management recently met with Umlazi policing structures, traditional and religious leaders, businesses and the youth to tighten policing in the area.

It is during this engagement that the improvement of police response time and shortage of vehicles and how environmental design impeded policing was raised sharply and is being urgently addressed at the National Provincial and local government level.

The multi-stakeholder approach and working closely with the community in the Umlazi policing area should have an impact on violent crime if sustained and maintained as agreed.

POLICE KILLINGS

• 18 police officers were killed during this reporting period.
• 13 fewer police officers were killed during this reporting period.

Any attack on a police officer is an attack on the state and should be condemned from all quarters.

Firearms are three times more likely to be the weapon of choice in all the reported murders, 2 766 people were shot to death.

• 912 of KwaZulu-Natal murders were as a result of firearms followed by the Gauteng Province with 697 deaths attributed to firearms.
• 498 people died from gunshot wounds in the Western Cape Province.

Cele has expressed concern about the expansion of illegal firearms and the damage and destruction they can cause.

MULTIPLE MURDERS

The SAPS investigated 284 dockets of multiple murders, with 664 victims.

The KwaZulu-Natal province recorded the highest number of multiple murders, followed by Gauteng and the Eastern Cape in which two more victims were killed at a time.

The majority of these murders were committed with a firearm.

The Western Cape has made inroads in arresting a man who is believed to be the mastermind behind the extortion-related multiple-murders in areas around the Cape Metropole.

More suspects have also been arrested and are going through the court processes, answering to their alleged roles related to the multiple murders.

WOMEN AND CHILDREN

The reporting period from April to June shows that South Africa was brutal and dangerous for women and children.

Violent crimes committed against women and children are recorded at alarmingly high and unacceptable levels.

• From April to June 2022, 855 women and 243 children were killed in South Africa.
• Over 11 thousand Assault GBH cases, with female victims, were opened with the police. 1 670 such cases involved children.
• Police are investigating attempted murder dockets for over 1400 women and children who escaped death.

PLACES OF OCCURRENCE

Cele says it is disturbing that 19 child murders took place at institutions of learning.

This includes daycare facilities primary and high schools, and tertiary institutions.

LIQUOR AND DRUGS

Liquor remains one of the biggest contributors to crime.

Just yesterday, we engaged residents of Khayelitsha together with the role-players in the liquor industry, to raise awareness and at the same time address liquor as a crime contributor.

We cannot accept as a nation that 227 people between April and June 2022 were killed in places of entertainment such as taverns, pubs and bars.

In 749 murder cases, liquor was involved.

In 1 212 rape cases, alcohol was involved during the commission of the crime.

We urge communities, civil society, religious organizations and various community organizations to look at addressing the role liquor is playing in communities and as a crime contributor.