By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) published the latest crime stats covering October to December 2024, showing an overall 1.6% reduction in contact crimes, including drops in murder, attempted murder and sexual offences.
There was also a 13.5% drop in property-related crimes like burglary and theft and a 5.1% drop in other serious crimes.
Overall, crime levels among the 17 community-reported serious crimes were down 5% over the quarter, and crimes detected through police action were up 12.8%, showing a more effective police force.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said that this represents a significant shift in South Africa’ crime landscape, particularly compared to previous years.
However, despite the marked improvements, Mchunu said that violent crime levels remain unacceptably high and that four provinces in the country need extra focus.
He said that Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape were an “albatross” to crime fighting, posing quite a challenge to police and dominating in crime metrics.
These provinces coincide with the country’s major metros and population density and will, therefore, be the state’s focus in 2025.
This is especially true regarding violent crime, where Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal account for 25% and 21% of reported crimes, respectively.
However, when looking at murder rates (murders compared to population), the Eastern Cape is by far the most violent province, with 19.6 murders per 100,000 people.
This is followed by the Western Cape (16.0) and then KZN (12.6) and Gauteng (10.3).
Overall, 6,953 murders were recorded over the three-month period, averaging 75, murders a day.
Sexual offences also saw a 2% decline. A total of 3.3% decline in rape cases and a notable decline was seen in carjacking and robberies at both residential and non-residential premises.
Mchunu said with kidnappings, most of the crimes were being orchestrated from prison.
“The most recent case [of kidnapping] in Nelson Mandela Bay was orchestrated from St Alban’s prison, surely prisoners elsewhere are behaving in the same way. Even the mastermind of the Lusisiki [mass] murders was found will cellphones again. He was even moved but he still has access. What he is doing, we don’t know. But I want to ask the Department of Correctional Services to take decisive action. This is a burn on police but also an embarrassment to the whole country,” Mchunu said.
He said these reductions indicate the strategies implemented by police have yielded results.
He also stated that on Thursday, a total of 16,049 firearms were destroyed. Mchunu stated the destruction of firearms will take place every six months to ensure the recirculation of firearms is curbed.
Political Parties reactions
ActionSA MP Dereleen James said the party remains “deeply concerned” that, while aggravated contact crimes between October and December 2024 have shown a slight year-on-year decrease compared to 2023, South Africa remains “unsafe, with rampant criminality” continuing to go largely unchallenged.
Democratic Alliance (DA) Spokesperson on Police Ian Cameron said the crime statistics reflected the “horrific” daily experiences of South Africans, saying his party will continue to advocate for “common-sense policies” to keep South Africans safe.
Cameron reiterated the party’s call for expansion of community-policing partnerships to proactively address localised criminal issues, particularly in high-crime provinces the Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and the Eastern Cape.
He pointed out that technologically, Saps is outdated, noting that the country’s forensic labs and intelligence systems must be updated and be built for the future.
Meanwhile, the African National Congress (ANC) said the statistics reaffirmed the need for a well-resourced and technologically advanced police force, improved crime intelligence, and enhanced forensic services.
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the upcoming National Policing Summit in April, as announced by Mchunu, is a crucial step in refining policing strategies and ensuring a proactive approach to crime-fighting.
“Crime hotspots remain concentrated in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape provinces that also experience high levels of economic inequality,” she said.
The party reiterated that economic transformation, job creation, and social development are essential in addressing the root causes of crime.
Bhengu-Motsiri said the ANC noted that the improvement in this quarter’s crime stats, and said it is a testament to the targeted interventions undertaken by law enforcement, particularly through the Saps safer festive season campaign and the ongoing recruitment of police officers under project 10 000.
“We commend the South African Police Service for their unwavering commitment to combating crime, as mandated by Section 205 of the Constitution. However, we remain deeply concerned about the continued scourge of gender-based violence, the increase in attempted murders of children, and the persistence of gang-related murders, particularly in the Western Cape,” she said.
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Video Courtesy of SAPS.