The crime statistics for the period between July and September showed an increase in murder, sexual offences, attempted murder and assault.
Cape Town – The crime statistics for the period between July and September showed an increase in murder, sexual offences, attempted murder and assault.
Equally increased during the second period were arson and malicious damage to property.
However, there was some decrease in robbery, cash-in-transit and truck hijacking crimes.
Speaking at the National Assembly committee on police meeting, Minister of Police Bheki Cele said the country had a very bad July in terms of stability.
“It will definitely impact the crime statistics,” Cele said.
Briefing the MPs, Major-General Norman Sekhukune said contact crime cases totalled 137 145.
Sekhukhune said murder increased by 1 056 and attempted murder by 216 cases compared to the same period last year.
He said sexual offences cases increased by 541 while assault GBH increased by 735 and common assault by 286.
However, common robbery declined by 245 and robbery with aggravating circumstance by 1 205.
Sekhukhune said the total sexual offences went up by 4.7% to 11 964 cases.
Rape shot up by 7.1% with 634 cases, resulting in 9 556 total cases.
But, the sexual assault decreased by five cases, attempted sexual assault was also done by 51 to 400 and contact sexual offences declined by 37.
Sekhukhune said car hijacking went up by 3.5% with 170 more cases bringing the total to 4 973 cases.
Robbery at residential places declined by 388 cases, robbery at non-residential places decreased by 70, cash-in-transit by 52 and truck hijacking by one.
Sekhukhune noted that the 7.4% increase in contact-related crimes as 28 988 cases were recorded, 1 697 more than the previous period.
“We suspect the contributory factor to the contact crime was mainly fuelled by the July unrest that affected Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal resulting in an increase in arson cases of 298, when we recorded 1 284 cases,” he said.
Malicious damage to property recorded was 27 704, an increase of 1 699 cases.
Sekhukhune also said property related crime generally went down by 6.2%.
Burglary at non-residential areas went up by 2 895 cases, but burglary at residential areas was up by 3 355.
Theft of vehicle and motor cycles was down by 1 425, theft out of motor vehicle 3 379 and stock theft 676.
Also on the decrease was shoplifting which recorded a decline of 3 282 cases while commercial crime went up by 2 626 cases and other serious crime 861.
The report showed that the cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition was minus 276 in the previous year along with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs by 129 and sexual offences as a result of police action 42.
But, drug related crimes went up by 1 130 cases.
Political Bureau
