Latest Gauteng crime stats sees spike in murders
Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela says more than 1,400 people were killed between January and March this year.
This is an increase of 347 murders compared to the same period last year.
Mawela briefed the Gauteng legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety on the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2020/2021 financial year.
"We have recorded a 45.2% increase in murders which amounts to 1 403 people killed during this period,” Mawela told MPLs.
“The analysis of murder cases has shown again that majority of causative factors are arguments, misunderstandings, road rage, and provocation. During this period, we lost five police officers. One was killed while on-duty and four were murdered while off-duty. "
He said there has also been an increase in the number of rapes, while house-breaking incidents decreased.
"Sexual offences have increased by 11.3%. The overall number of sexual offences is 2 921 while rape accounts for 2 267 out of this number. Property-related crimes increased by 0.2% and in this category of crimes we were able to reduce burglary at non-residential premises with 7.1% as well as stock theft with 8.3%.”
There has also been an increase in kidnappings with 1 563 cases reported as compared to the same period in 2020/2021 when there were only 524 cases reported.
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