Police record 66% increase in murders in Q1 of 2021
South Africans are faced with growing worry as the country’s crime statistics reach alarming double-digit figures.
This comes after law enforcement agencies recorded hair-raising statistics between April and June this year, the first quarter of the crime statistics cycle.
Close to 6000 people were killed during this period.
This is an increase of over 2000 compared to the same period in the previous financial year; while it accounts for an increase of 362 more deaths compared to 2019.
Overall, contact crimes increased by 60.6% compared to the same period last year.
Police Minister, Bheki Cele released the quarter 1 crime stats on Friday.
While Cele admitted the picture was grim, he emphasised that the Covid-19 lockdown had thrown a spanner in the works, resulting in skewed reporting.
“The very same shock of last year is repeating itself with an exaggerated extreme opposite, to say the least. The double-figure eye-popping increase in most crime categories is informed by the same reasons stated above of adjusted lockdown levels and distorted crime trends,” says Cele.
“The never-seen-before pleasant picture of last year was compared to a normal period of 2019 and hence the comparison was distorted and very skewed.”
“It is important for us to give this particular context and adequate explanation upfront, to mitigate the shock and fears that may arise at this juncture,” Cele said.
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Out of the top 30 murder stations, the Khayelitsha, Phillipi East, and Bityi police stations in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape recorded decreases in their murder figures.
Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal returned to being the country’s rape capital.
Cele revealed that more than 10 000 people had been raped between April and June.
“This is an increase of 4 201 cases, amounting to a 72.4% increase, compared to the skewed previous reporting period. This number drops drastically to 2.8% if the comparison was made to the normal period prior to Lockdown,” he added.
The highest jump in stats from the period was attributed to trio crimes where aggravated robberies increased by 92% compared to the previous corresponding period.
Cele best described the quarter’s crime stats as dismal, if not understood within the context of the lockdown.
He further assured the country that his portfolio was working to overcome its operational shortcomings.
Watch Cele below:
#CrimeStats | Cele: The presented stats are dismal, if not understood within context that the lockdown levels introduced an irregular variation to the crime trends.
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) August 20, 2021
He admits the distortion in figures does not get them off the hook. pic.twitter.com/XPwDgVyEvH