Gauteng records its highest increase in murder rates in five years

Gauteng police recorded an increase in the murder rate between October and December last year.

“During the period under review, 243 more people were killed in Gauteng, which reflect an increase by 18.3%,” said  Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela.

It also represents the highest increase in the murder rate in five years.

“Gauteng is the second province with the highest number of cases of murder during the period under review and this is mainly due to the size of the population,” emphasised Mawela.

A total of 41 murder cases during the same period were related to domestic violence where the majority of victims were females (23).

There were three farm murders that took place in the same period. Two of the victims were residents on the farm/smallholding and one was a farmworker.

The increase in the murder rate is also due to multiple murders in a single incident.

“Gauteng had 18 murder cases registered with 50 victims and that has contributed to more accumulated counts of murder during this quarter,” said Mawela.

Incidents of multiple murders happened in Kagiso and Laudium during the October – December period.

In Kagiso, seven people were killed and five injured by a group of armed balaclava-clad men. 

The attack took place at a  house close to a wedding venue and people who’d attended the wedding were also affected.

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There has also been a 7.4% decrease in sexual crimes including rape, sexual assaults and contact sexual offences.

“This reduction is attributed to all the measures that we have put in place such as; enhancing partnerships with communities and NGOs, awareness campaigns, suspect tracing operations coupled with good convictions by our courts,” said Mawela.

Carjacking increased by 20.4%, truck hijacking increased by 18.9%, and house robberies increased by 2.6% while cash-In-Transit heists decreased by 29%.

Compiled by Narissa Subramoney

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