By: Natasha Archary

Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela has expressed concern over the phenomenon of multiple murders in the province.
Mawela who released Gauteng’s second quarter crime statistics for the 2023/24 financial year, said there was a 2.9% increase in murders in the province.
In recent months there has been an increase in incidents where a number of people sitting in groups have been shot and killed.
Point of View with Phemelo Motene spoke to Chairperson of the Gauteng Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety, Bandile Masuku about the latest statistics.
Listen to the full conversation
For the period July to September 2023, Gauteng crime stats show that murder, attempted murder and common assault increased, while sexual offences and rape decreased.
“We have reduced the 17 community reported serious crimes by 2.6%, which means we have recorded 2 892 counts less than the same period in 2023.
The reduction is attributed to the three broad categories which include contact-related crime, property-related crime, and other serious crime.
The category of other serious crime, comprises of all theft not mentioned elsewhere, commercial crime and shoplifting.
We have also managed to reduce this category by 3.5% which translates to 1 203 counts less than the same period in 2022.”
Gauteng's second quarter crime stats
The community reported serious crimes reduced by 2,6%. The reduction is attributed to the three broad categories which include contact-related crime, property-related crime and other serious crimes.#GrowingasaferGauteng pic.twitter.com/DiGoEyMk2A
— GP Department of Community Safety (@GP_CommSafety) November 23, 2023
Apart from multiple murders in Gauteng, Mawela is also concerned about police killings after 8 SAPS members were killed in the province between July to September 2023.
Three police officers were killed whilst off-duty, while 5 were killed whilst on-duty, highlighting that police safety is a priority for the management of SAPS in Gauteng.
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