WATCH LIVE: Police Minister Bheki Cele presents quarterly crime stats

South Africans will on Wednesday find out about the country’s crime stats as it heads into the holiday period.

Police Minister General Bheki Cele is expected to present the quarterly crime statistics, reflecting on crimes reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS) from 1st of July to 30 September 2022.

The briefing is expected to take place at 12pm at the GCIS Auditorium in Tshedimosetso House in Hatfield, Pretoria.

Murder

In the last quarterly crime stats report for the period between April and June 2022, Cele highlighted the ‘worrisome’ murder rate and the country’s murder hotspots.

The stats revealed that 6 424 people were killed in the first quarter of 2022/2023 financial year – an increase of 664 victims compared to the same period last year.

Murder hotspots

Cele also highlighted South Africa’s most dangerous murder hotspots, with the most cases reported in KwaZulu-Natal, followed by Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

Sexual offences

Cele also said the stats showed 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. It is because of this number that the SAPS will continue to prioritise Gender-Based Violence.”

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Kidnappings for ransom

South Africans will also be paying attention to the scourge of kidnappings for ransom following a number of incidents.

According to the police’s crime stats of the first quarter of 2022/2023, the total number of reported kidnappings increased to 3 055 cases versus 2 232 cases reported in the previous year.

The number in Gauteng increased from 809 kidnappings reported between April and June 2021 to 1 909 cases recorded during April and June this year.

The crime stats revealed that robbery and hijacking were among the top two motives for kidnapping, followed by rape and revenge.

WATCH LIVE: Minister Cele delivers this quarter’s crime stats on the links below:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SAPoliceService
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAPoliceService
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Kbeg6B3AZbo

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