Statistics paint a bleak crime picture

The number of cases in the three-month period rose from 28 cases to 41 incidents reported. Rape in the Giyani area increased by 39,1%, from 23 to 32 cases. The statistics also show that attempted sexual offenses increased from one case to four cases and sexual assaults increased by one case, from four last year to five cases this year. Giyani Police Station’s work was rewarded with them being placed 19th
nationwide for sexual offenses detected as a result of police action.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 21,3% from 47 cases in 2021 to 57 cases in 2022. The local police station had a decrease of 33,3% in murders from 12 cases last year to eight cases this year. They recorded seven cases of attempted murder, a zero increase compared to the seven cases also reported in 2021. In crimes detected as a result of police action, drug-related crimes increased by 300%, from 14 to 56 cases.

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Police intervention was responsible for the increase in cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. It increased by 450% from two to eleven incidences in 2021/2022. Carjacking cases decreased by 55,6% from nine cases in 2021 to four cases in 2022, and robbery at residential premises increased by 66,7% from three cases to five cases. A total of 13 283 sexual offences were recorded nationwide, 1 319 more culminating in an 11,0% increase.

The country as a whole documented 6 149 cases of carjacking, an increase of 23,6% from the 4 973 in the 2021 period. Countrywide statistics of murder have increased by 13,6% from 11 964 to 13 283 cases. Inanda Police Station in KwaZulu-Natal reported the highest number of murders nationwide with 99 cases, it also recorded the highest number of sexual offenses with 86 cases. “7 004 people were killed by other persons in South Africa in the second quarter of 2022.

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“This is an increase of 841 more people murdered, compared to the same period in 2021 when the country was under Covid-19 lockdown levels 4, 3, and 2,” Cele said. He said the majority of the murders and attempted murders were committed in public areas such as parks, open fields, and on the street. “Arguments, misunderstandings, and incidents of road rage and provocations accounted for 956 murders in the country.”

Vigilantism claimed the lives of 528 people while 362 people were killed during robberies. Inanda and uMlazi police stations in KwaZulu-Natal and Nyanga 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,” he said. He also said that 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 or 62% of these incidents occurred at the residence of the victim or perpetrator.” 1 651 of the rape incidents occurred in public places such as on the streets, parks, and beaches. Buses, taxis, trains, and other modes of public transport were also named the most likely places of occurrence of rape incidents.