Crime stats: More than 10,000 people raped between April and June

Law enforcement officials need to do more to ensure the safety of everyone in the country, police minister Bheki Cele said on Friday while revealing the latest crime stats. 

More than 10,000 people were raped between April and June, with many of the victims raped at home. 

“A sample of 5,439 rape cases revealed that 3,766 rapes took place in the homes of the victims or homes of the rapists,” said Cele.

He said 487 of the reported rape cases were related to domestic violence.

According to the stats, 10,006 people were raped, which is a 72.4% increase compared to a skewed previous reporting period.

Despite the high number, Cele said the number dropped significantly if the comparison was made to the “normal” period before lockdown.

He said more policing work needed to be done. 

“National commissioner, this doesn’t get us off the hook. While the double-digit increases don’t necessarily reflect a true picture because they are being compared to an abnormal period when the country was at a standstill, it means more work must be done to ensure the safety of all those who live within our borders.”

Inanda police station in KwaZulu-Natal, Delft in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape’s Lusikisiki police station recorded the highest numbers of rapes.

Cele reiterated that the lockdown levels had introduced an irregular variation in crime trends. 

TimesLIVE