KZN is the province with the highest murder rate in the country.
Between 1 April 2014 and 31 March this year 3 810 people have been murdered.
This is according to the national crime statistics released by Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko and National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega on Tuesday at the Parliament’s portfolio committee meeting.
The murder rate nationally rose by 4.6 percent, with 17 805 people killed in South Africa during the reported period.
Phiyega said 49 murders were committed by children and 884 by youths between the ages of 18 and 25.
In KZN, which also ranked first last year, 61 percent of murders occurred over weekends and 40 percent between 6 pm and 12pm.
Festive periods saw a huge rise in the average of 11 cases per day – on Christmas Day, 55 murders were reported and 54 on New Year’s Day.
KZN reported 353 027 crimes for the year, after Gauteng at 627 524 and Western Cape at 492 371.
Closer to home, Empangeni ranked among the top ten worst precincts in the province in 12 categories, including highest number of reported crime with 6 866 cases.
This includes 69 murders, 240 sexual offences, 116 attempted murders, 571 common assaults, 217 robberies, 541 robberies with aggravating circumstances, 79 cases of possession of illegal firearms and ammunition, 448 commercial crimes, 106 robberies at residential premises, 63 robberies at non-residential premises, 46 culpable homicides and 25 kidnappings.
Richards Bay stats
Richards Bay ranked in the top ten worst precincts in the province for robbery at non-residential premises, with 244 reported cases and 437 thefts out of motor vehicles.
Also in Richards Bay, robbery at residential premises increased from 26 cases last year to 61 this year, while robbery at non-residential premises increased from 35 to 48 and car hijacking from 10 to19 reported cases.
eSikhaleni reported 51 murders, 359 robberies with aggravating circumstances, 659 residential burglaries, 122 robberies at residential premises, 52 robberies at non-residential areas and 9 kidnappings
Nationally, attempted murder and aggravated robbery, car and truck hijacking increased, while bank robbery and cash-in-transit heists decreased.
Sexual offences decreased by 5.4% after police removed matters like sex work and pornography from the category.
Nationally, KZN had the third best crime fighting performance across 17 different categories, with Free State taking the lead.
Nhleko referred to the causal link between drug and alcohol abuse and the escalation of violent crimes.
Phiyega said 1 537 attacks against police were reported, mostly in the Western Cape, while 686 police members were arrested for various crimes.
Dave Whittaker, Chairman of Business Against Crime (BAC) and the Empangeni Division of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZCCI) said the upward tendency in crime, including a surge in business robberies, are worrisome, but that the organisations will continue to support the police through existing structures.
Read crime stats at a glance HERE
