The third quarter of the 2024–2025 fiscal year saw a drop in crime rates, according to Gauteng police commissioner Tommy Mthombeni.
As it is the holiday season, Mthombeni emphasised that the third quarter is the busiest time of the year and that an increase in crime was expected as a result of people moving into and out of the province.
He said that out of 34 910 suspects, 10 963 illegal immigrants were apprehended as a result of Operation Shanela.
According to him, 4 601 suspects were taken into custody for contact crimes, including 114 for attempted murder and 140 for murder.
A total of 1,741 murder cases and 1,820 attempted murder cases were reported.
1 836 suspects taken into custody
“The contact crime category recorded a decrease of 2 398 counts in comparison with the same period in 2023/2024, translating to a reduction of 4.7%, Mthombeni said.
“This category includes offences such as murder, assault, rape, and trio crimes, as well as robbery of cash in transit, truck hijacking, and kidnapping.”
Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was reported in at least 11 313 cases, a 453 increase from the previous quarter.
Statistics show that 1 836 suspects were taken into custody for the same offence.
Over 160-million millilitres of alcohol were seized, 4 007 suspects were arrested for liquor-related offences, and 1 414 illegal liquor outlets were shut down, he said.
Mthombeni went on to say that during their operations, 351 illegal firearms — including 31 rifles and seven shortguns — as well as 6 608 rounds of ammunition were confiscated.
Drug-producing laboratories
Eight suspects were detained in connection with the closure of drug labs valued at an estimated R310-million by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation and the provincial organised crime investigations.
In Hammanskraal, a hydroponic cannabis lab was found, and in Erasmia, a crystal meth lab.
A mandrax laboratory was found in a house in Kibler Park, and a crystal meth, mandrax, and cannabis laboratory was found in a house in Bedfordview.
In De Deur, a mandrax and sebenza-cannabis laboratory was also found.
“The category of property-related crime decreased by 16.3%, translating to 3 870 counts less registered.
“The category of other serious crimes has decreased by 3.8% in comparison with the same period in the 2023/2024 financial year.
“This category includes offences such as theft not mentioned elsewhere, commercial crimes, and shoplifting,” said Mthombeni.
