Recent crime statistics released by the police for the 2018/19 financial has revealed an increase in sexual offence cases reported across the province.
Rosebank Police Station has recorded the highest increase of reported sexual offence cases compared to eight other police stations in Johannesburg North namely, Alexandra, Bramley, Sandton, Midrand, Ivory Park, Diepsloot and Randburg. Rosebank Police Station recorded a high of 133 per cent increase of reported sexual offence cases with rape at 350 per cent, followed by Midrand at 34.6 per cent with 400 per cent increase of contact sexual offences, Randburg at 29.6 per cent with rape at 46.7 per cent increase, Alexandra at 24 per cent with 14.3 per cent increase of attempted sexual offence cases, Ivory Park at 8.7 per cent with attempted sexual offence at 100 per cent, Diepsloot at 6.6 per cent with sexual assault at 60 per cent, Sandton at 3.4 per cent with rape at 28.1 per cent and Bramley at 2 per cent with sexual assault at 57.1 per cent.
Diepsloot Police Station recorded the highest increase of aggravated robbery cases at 100 per cent with carjacking at 34.3 per cent. It was followed by Bramley with an increase of 83.9 per cent with murder at 40.9 per cent. Randburg recorded an increase of 66.7 per cent while Midrand had 40 per cent for truck hijacking. Rosebank recorded 22.2 per cent increase of robbery at non-residential areas cases, Sandton at 100 per cent increase for aggravated robbery with robbery at non-residential areas at 6.9 per cent. Ivory Park had an increase of 16.2 per cent cases of robbery at residential premises and Alexandra only recorded one case higher compared to the previous financial year.
Rosebank also recorded the highest number of increase of property-related cases at 23 per cent with house burglary at 45.9 per cent. It was followed by Midrand at 16 per cent, Sandton at 10.8 per cent, Bramley at 10.5 per cent, Diepsloot at 7.3 per cent, Alexandra 6.4 per cent and Randburg at 1.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, cases of crime recorded due to police detection showed a decrease with Randburg at 41.5 per cent lower, Diepsloot at 31.4 per cent lower, Bramley 29.8 per cent, Rosebank 13.2 per cent, Sandton 37.4 per cent and Alexandra at 24.7 per cent. Ivory Park Police Station, however, showed an increase of 4.3 per cent of cases detected by police action.
Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that the number of murders in the country has decreased by 50 per cent from 1 320 in 2017/18 financial year to 686 in the 2018/19 financial year. He further said that the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit had 185 units to deal with gender-based violence including sexual offences. He said in the 2018/19 financial year, the unit recorded 658 life sentences out of 504 registered cases.
“It is through the highly specialised investigative work that 387 suspects were sentenced to 20 years and above. The FSC unit continues to be one of the best units within the police sector with the fundamental responsibility to protect and serve women children and vulnerable groups,” said Cele.
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