Alarming spike in murder, rape of children in first three months of year
Police Minister Bheki Cele says the crime stats show an alarming increase in murders and rape of children between January and March this year.
Cele delivered the fourth quarter stats for the 2021/22 financial year in Pretoria on Friday.
He admitted to a dire state of affairs, with murders across the country up by 22.%.
This is an additional 1107 cases compared to the same period in the previous year.
Out of the total 6 083 people killed, close to 900 were women and more than 300 children under the age of 17 years.
"Alarmingly, the murder of children recorded a 37.2% increase in the period of reporting," Cele said.
"January, February and March of 2022 was especially brutal for women and children of this country."
Cele further lamented the brutality against women and children, noting another sharp increase in gender-based violence.
More than 42 000 cases of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and more than 45 000 cases of common assault were opened with the police in the three months of reporting.
"Out of the 42 992 cases of assault GBH, 1 937 were children under 17 years," a worried Cele told journalists.
Cele vowed to ensure men and women in blue have the capacity to arrest the runaway incidents of crime but pleaded with communities to play their part.
Listen to Cele below: