Crime stats July-Sept. 2022

Police Minister, Bheki Cele, along with Head of crime research in the SAPS Major-General Norman Sekhukhune released the crime statistics on Wednesday for the second quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year. The latest figures which runs from the 1^st of July to 30 September 2022, are compared to the same period last year when the country was under lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Between July to September 2021, the country was under Lockdown level 4, 3 and 2.

The police minister has expressed concern over women who are targeted in crimes.

In the three months of reporting, a double-digit percentage increase was recorded for murder, attempted murder and assault to cause grievous bodily harm, against women.

Over 13 000 women were victims of assault with intend to cause grievous bodily harm between July and September this year. More than 1 200 women were victims of attempted murder, and 989 women were murdered during this reporting period.

The rate at which women are abused, violated and some killed in South Africa remains worrying and unacceptable

As we edge closer to commemorating the commencement of the global 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign on the 25th of November, the reality is women continue to be victims of violent crimes in South Africa.

Over 10 000 rape cases were opened with the SAPS, between July and September this year.

From a sample of 8227 rape incidents that were perused, it was determined that 5 083 which is 62% of these incidents occurred at the residence of the victims or perpetrators. Cele revealed that 1 651 of the rape incidents occurred at public places such as streets, parks and beaches., and that 69 people were raped at abandoned buildings.

Delft in the Western Cape are one of the three top stations with the highest rape cases.

 

Mpumalanga is the only province to report     a decrease in rape incidents. Inanda police station in KwaZulu-Natal, Mthatha in the Eastern Cape and Delft in the Western Cape are the three top stations with the highest rape cases. Buses, taxis, trains and other modes of public transport, were the third most likely places of occurrence for rape incidents.

Police minister, Bheki Cele revealed that in just six months, 558 children were killed in South Africa from April to September this year. Cases of 294 children are being probed for attempted murder from July to September. Cele said 1 895 Assault to cause GBH cases, with children as victims, were opened with the police during this reporting period.

The crime statistics again show that we as communities continue to fail to protect some of the most vulnerable in society; our children.

It is on this note, that the SAPS continues to prioritize Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) related crimes.

Between July and September this year, the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit arrested 4 375 perpetrators of crimes committed against women and children. In the last two financial years, 822 perpetrators of GBV crimes were sentenced to life. 114 life sentences were handed down for GBV crimes in the first six months of the 2022/2023 financial year.

Cele said SAPS traced and arrested 410 rapists during this reporting period. 68 of them have been sentenced to life behind bars.

Members of the media,

It is very encouraging that the Criminal Justice System continues to send a strong message of zero tolerance on rape, through the stiff sentences handed out to rapists.

Allow me to touch on just a few of these sentences.

Six life sentences were handed down to Lebohang Nyoka in the Northern Cape for rape, housebreaking and theft.

 

For the rape of two minors aged 10, the courts sentenced Ernest Mckein to life in prison in the Western Cape.

In Gauteng, a 32-year old Diepsloot serial rapist, was found guilty and sentenced to 16 life sentences, plus 250 years in prison for robbing and raping 16 women.

32-year old Asha Moyo stalked and attacked his victims, threatening them with a firearm, before raping them.

His youngest victim was 13 years old.

33 year old Pastor, Hlumelo Dywili was also sentenced to life in August, for the rape of a 33 year old congregant.

It is clear, the broader civil society, religious organizations and various community structures must sharply address the causes and preventative measures of crimes against women and children.

Such conversations combined with awareness programs and action by the SAPS, are important and do lead to prevention of these deeply disturbing gender based crimes.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As a Ministry, we remain extremely concerned about rapes at educational premises.

In the three months of reporting, 83 rapes occurred at educational facilities, including basic education schools and tertiary institutions.

One needs to take into cognizance that educational facilities refer to the scene of the crime and should not interpreted to imply that all perpetrators and or victims were pupils or students.

In terms of DNA backlog and Cele revealed that there is more than 111 thousand DNA specimens at SAPS’ forensic service laboratories.

Out of this figure, 67 905 is DNA backlog which, Cele says, has been reduced from over 241 167 in May 2021.

He added that the rest of the DNA specimens from the total 111 174 figure, 43 269 falls within the allocated time of 113 days.

Assurances has been made to this Ministry that the SAPS will meet its deadline of clearing the DNA backlog.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We have truly come a long way since the DNA backlog was first discovered at our forensic service laboratories in May 2021.

Daily work and interventions continue, to ensure the SAPS never goes back to the dark days, where the DNA backlog reached levels of over 200 thousand cases. ALL hands are on deck to capacitate and empower the forensic service laboratories to deliver a quality service for ALL South Africans.

With regards to assault cases and Cele said the levels of aggression and violence are worrying in South Africa. He revealed that the July to September months saw a record number of assault cases reported to the police in five years, with a  total of 85 640 assault GBH and common assault cases in the three months of reporting.

Arguments, road rage, provocation and misunderstandings as well as retaliation, revenge and punishment, remain the top motives for assaults GBH.

 

12 203 assault GBH cases took place behind closed doors; either at the home of the victim or the home of the perpetrator.

 

The second most likely place of occurrence for assault GBH was at public places such as street, open field, recreational center or abandoned buildings.

 

6 662 assault GBH cases were Domestic Violence-related.

 

This means the perpetrator and victim had some type of a domestic relationship.

Furthermore, 7 004 people were killed by other persons in South Africa in the second quarter of 2022/2023 financial year.

This is an increase of 841 more people murdered, compared to the same period last year, when the country was placed under COVID-19 Lockdown levels four, three and two.

Arguments, misunderstandings and incidents of road rage and provocations accounted for 956 murders in the country. Vigilantism incidents claimed the lives of 528 people while 362 people were killed during the commission of a robbery. Inanda, uMlazi, police stations in KwaZulu-Natal and Nyanga station in the Western Cape registered the highest counts of murder during this period. A total of 274 counts of murder were reported in those three areas combined.

In terms of police killings, and 22 police officers were killed during July to September 2022, this is two members less compared to the same reporting period last year. According to SAPS, Firearms remain the weapon of choice in most of the reported murders, 2 808 people were shot and killed. 961 of the reported murders in KwaZulu-Natal were as a result of firearms followed by Gauteng with 768 murders.  526 people died from gunshot wounds in the Western Cape.

Fighting crime has also come at a cost for members of the SAPS across the country.

It is on this note that this Ministry will never stop calling on SAPS members to defend themselves at ALL times from ruthless criminals whenever they are under attack.

It is quite simple; POLICE MUST MEET FIRE WITH FIRE!

Police Minister, Bheki Cele said more must be done to prevent and also respond to trio crimes that he says, are often carried out publicly in a violent manner.

A total of 356 vehicles were reported hijacked in Nyanga, Harare and Phillipe East combined, all in the Western Cape.

The month of July 2022, saw the majority of carjacking, robbery at residential and non-residential premises cases reported to the police.

Increases have been noted in crimes under sub category aggravated robbery.

Over 6 000 carjacking were reported to the police from July to September 2022.

While the Free State and Limpopo recorded decreases in carjackings, a 24% increase was observed nationally.

Kidnappings have doubled nationally with over 4 000 counts reported to the police between July and September 2022.

Carjacking, robbery and rape were the top three motives for the recorded kidnapping cases during July to September across the country.

Cele announced that 10 000 additional SAPS officers will in December be deployed for will police visibility during the festive season and beyond.

The police minister said More boots will be on the ground and escalated crime prevention and crime-combating operations will be a daily occurrence until the end of January 2023.

olice have their work cut out for them.

 

Communities, young and old also have a role to play towards lowering the crime rate in the country.

 

We encourage active participation against the common enemy of crime through formal involvement such as Community Policing forums (CPF) or other structures that enhance the policing footprint.

 

Mphakathi, Don’t look away, let us act against crime together;

 

 “IPHOYISA IPHOYISA NGOMPHAKATHI”

* NOTE: Words in bold were uttered by Police Minister, Bheki Cele