Almost 6,200 people were murdered in South Africa in just three months. Between the start of April and the end of June, the police recorded 6 198 murders across the country and, although the overall number of murders decreased for the quarter year-on-year, four of the nine provinces experienced an increase in murders, according to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
However, looking at both quarters combined, some insight into crime in the first half of 2024 can be gleaned, as the data covers January to June.
Notably, this combined data shows that 12,734 people were murdered in this period—averaging 70 murders a day over the 182 days.
6,536 people were murdered between January and March, and 6,198 were murdered between April and June.
Year-on-year, this is worse than the same period in 2023, where 12,517 were murdered (217 more murders were recorded in 2024).
Mchunu addressed the media in Cape Town at the presentation of the quarterly crime statistics on Friday.
The police shared data from the last quarter of the first quarter of this financial year (April to June).
“When I look at these stats, there is a general increase. That should worry us most,” Mchunu said.
Contact crime increased by 2.6% overall, with more than 153 637 cases recorded for the three-month period.
KwaZulu-Natal contributed the highest number of murders to the national count, accounting for 23.5% of all murders during the quarter.
Gauteng followed with 22% and the Western Cape with 18%. However, the Western Cape accounted for the highest increase in murders over the quarter, with a 21% increase bringing the total number for the three-month period to 1 138.
The province also featured prominently among the top 10 police stations with the highest recorded cases of murder. Seven of the 10 stations are in the Western Cape.
The stations that recorded the highest number of murders are Nyanga, Inanda, Umlazi, Khayelitsha and Harare. Of the 270 recorded gang murders recorded during the three-month period, 234 were in the Western Cape.
During the same period, 16 police officers were killed. Five of them were on duty at the time.
Crimes against women and children showed an increase, according to the released statistics.
There were 966 women murdered during the three-month period (an increase of 7.9%) and 1 644 attempted murders (16% increase) of women.
There were 314 children murdered (a 7.2% increase), and 242 attempted murders recorded (20% increase).
“These numbers tell a sobering story, reflecting the severity of the challenges we face. These numbers represent more than just figures on a page; they reflect the lived realities of our citizens – their fears, their losses, and their hopes for a safer tomorrow,” Mchunu said.
He added that the “data is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action”.
“We are confronted with a crisis that threatens the safety of our communities and undermines the stability of our nation. Contact crimes, in particular, are wreaking havoc and instilling fear. This is unacceptable, and we must confront this challenge with unwavering resolve and strategic precision,” he said.
He described the crime statistics as telling a “sobering story” and “a stark reminder of the urgent need for action”.
By News 24
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