Police Minister Bheki Cele has announced that murder, rape, and gender-based violence have increased in the first quarter of 2021.
“The National Crime Statistics from October to December 2020 do not paint a good picture, and hence force us as the SAPS to dig deep and put the shoulder to the wheel,” Cele said.
Murder
Murder has seen an increase of 6.6% between January and March 2021.
In comparison to the previous period, this meant that 389 more people were killed, and 193 of those murders were as a result of domestic violence.
Mpumalanga province recorded the highest increase of 13,7% when compared to the corresponding period in the previous financial year.
Limpopo, North West, and Northern Cape provinces recorded a decline in their murder cases.
#PoliceMinistry #CrimeStats: #TrioCrimes, #CITRobberies and #TruckJackings: The crimes feared most by South Africans declined in three of the country’s provinces.
Aggravated robberies such as Carjacking increased by almost 5%. ME pic.twitter.com/JCNKg0HXSk— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) May 14, 2021
Causes of murder
The top four factors for these murders were arguments, robberies at households and businesses, mob justice incidents, and gang-related killings.
Also read: Graphic content: Mob justice attacks on the rise in South Africa
A shocking 2,481 murders took place in public places like the street, open fields, parking areas, and abandoned buildings.
Murders at the home of the victim or perpetrator accounted for 1,643 cases.
Overall, contact crimes committed had decreased by 1.4%. Apart from the murder increase in South Africa, rape and GBV are still a primary concern for SAPS.
Rape
The country has seen an increase of 5% in overall sexual offenses being recorded.
Over 4,900 of rape incidents took place at the home of the victim or the home of the rapist.
Domestic violence contributed to 570 rape cases, and of this 547 rape cases involved female victims and 23 were males.
Inanda, Umlazi in KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape’s Lusikisiki police stations recorded the highest incidents of rape.
Cele took the opportunity to assure media that there isn’t a shortage of evidence collection kits, also known as Rape Kits at all police stations across the country.
“A three-year contract entered into with a supplier in 2019 to provide these essential kits, is still in place. The availability of the “rape kits” in all provinces is confirmed on a weekly basis and replenishment is done as per the station’s request,” said Cele.



