AS the festive season is in full swing, the statistics of firearms removed from society and arrests made in KwaZulu-Natal alone, during the week of November 28 to December 5, paint a grim picture of where KwaZulu-Natal is when it comes to curbing criminal activities.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda of the Office of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner said a total of 74 firearms were removed from society and over 1 000 suspects were arrested during this period.
“Among the several dangerous weapons confiscated were 12 rifles, 61 pistols and a semi-automatic firearm, together with 913 live rounds of ammunition. This was during intensified police operations which were executed in KwaZulu-Natal during the week from November 28 to December 5. A total of 1 330 suspects were arrested in the process.”
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“During the heightened police operations, 31 people were arrested for murder, 27 were nabbed for attempted murder and 32 suspects were apprehended for rape and sexual assault. Several other suspects were put behind bars for crimes ranging from robbery with aggravating circumstances, carjacking, burglary at residential and business premises, as well as stock theft,” said Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
Netshiunda said that safer festive season operations are in full swing, and those who aspire to be criminals will be met with the full might of the law.
“Targeted intelligence-driven operations at identified hotspot areas and routine patrols with amplified police visibility are ongoing, and law-abiding community members are urged to work with the police and isolate criminals,” said Netshiunda.
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These statistics come just a few days shy of two weeks after Police Minister Bheki Cele released the country’s crime statistics for the second quarter of 2022/2023.
Cele said that the murder and rape of women and children remain a pressing issue in the country.
“In the three months of reporting, a double-digit percentage increase was recorded for murder, attempted murder and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (Assault GBH) against women. From a sample of 8 227 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. An amount of 1 895 Assault GBH cases, with children as victims, were opened with the police during this reporting period,” said Cele.
Below are highlights of the national crime statistics reported to the South African Police Service from July 1 up to September 30:
- Over 13 000 women were victims of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm between July and September 2022.
- 1 277 women were victims of attempted murder, with 989 women murdered during this reporting period.
- Over 10 000 rape cases were opened with the SAPS between July and September this year.
- Police are investigating attempted murder dockets of 294 children from July to September 2022.
- 1 895 Assault GBH cases, with children as victims, were opened with the police during this reporting period.
- The SAPS across the country investigated a total of 85 640 Assault GBH and common assault cases in the three months of reporting.
- 12 203 Assault GBH cases took place behind closed doors – either at the home of the victim or the home of the perpetrator.
- 7 004 people were killed by other persons in South Africa in the second quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year.
- Firearms remain the weapon of choice in most of the reported murders, and 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.
- The SAPS is investigating 250 dockets of multiple murders, with 578 victims.
- Over 6 000 carjackings were reported to the police from July to September 2022.
- Kidnappings have doubled nationally with over 4 000 counts reported to the police between July and September 2022.
Residents are encouraged to report any criminal activity using the SAPS Crime Stop number, 08600 10111, or via the MySAPS App.
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