The Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, has reported a significant decrease in several crime categories for the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
Addressing the nation on the latest crime statistics report, Mchunu emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring public safety while acknowledging the ongoing challenges in tackling violent crime.
The report indicates a notable downward trend in murder and other violent crimes. Mchunu highlighted key improvements when compared to the same period in 2023.
Murder cases dropped by 9.8%, rape cases saw a 3.3% reduction, and attempted sexual offences decreased by 3.2%. There was also a decline in carjackings and robberies at residential and non-residential premises.
Reduction in stock theft incidents
“We have also registered a 4.5% reduction in stock theft. And this is a welcome relief for farmers, communities and the agricultural sector as a whole. This positive shift highlights the importance of continued collaboration between law enforcement, local leaders and communities to safeguard this vital industry.
“Although the percentage appears to be relatively small, we note the outcry of communities that farm livestock. This is particularly in the eastern Free State, north western parts of KZN and in the northern Eastern Cape. Hence our plan to combine these three provinces in a meeting to discuss this challenge,” said Mchunu.
Gauteng, KZN remain problem regions
Despite the overall decline in murder cases, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal remain the largest contributors. They are followed by the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
He said the Western Cape continues to struggle with gang-related murders. It has a total of 263 recorded cases this quarter alone.
Mchunu emphasised the urgency of addressing gang violence. He announced a planned review of policing strategies in high-murder zones on February 27th.
Attempted murder of children, spike in rape cases
The overall statistics indicate a reduction in contact crimes against women. However, there is growing concern over the rise in attempted murders of children aged 0 to 17 years.
He described this trend as alarming, and called for urgent action to protect vulnerable members of society. Additionally, rape cases have increased in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Free State. This highlights persistent challenges in combating gender-based violence (GBV).
Decline due to proactive measures
Mchunu pointed to several proactive measures by the South African Police Service (SAPS). He said these contributed to the reductions.
The Safer Festive Season initiative, which increased police presence from October 2024, has played a crucial role in deterring crime. Project 10, 000, aimed at recruiting new police personnel, has also been instrumental in enhancing police capacity. It has 5, 500 new recruits currently undergoing training.
Increased firearm seizures has been another critical aspect of crime prevention. It saw 16,049 illegal firearms destroyed just yesterday. Mchunu reaffirmed the government’s stance on police killings. He condemned attacks on law enforcement and referenced a recent murder near Butterworth as an example of ongoing threats to police officers.
Concerning police murders, commercial crimes
“We are still very concerned about police murders in the country. And we want to emphasise that this will not be tolerated at all,” he warned.
Despite the progress, Mchunu acknowledged that commercial crimes, fraud, and corruption remain challenges.
He expressed confidence in the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in tackling financial crimes.
Mchunu outlined key areas for improvement in crime-fighting efforts. These include enhancing crime intelligence, improving forensic and detective services, upgrading police working conditions, and leveraging advanced technology to track criminal activity.
A backlog in outstanding case dockets was also identified as an area of concern. But efforts are underway to secure funding for backlog reduction, he said.
