CRIME STATS | Murders increase to 7,710 from October to December 2023

The latest crime statistics released on Friday contained a mixed bag of results as murder cases increased by 2.1% while sexual offences went down by 1.7%.

Police registered 7,710 murder cases between October and December 2023, up from 7,555 during the same period the previous year.

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They opened 15,284 sexual offences cases, down from 15,545 in 2022.

This was revealed by police minister Bheki Cele and police top brass during the release of crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2023-2024 financial year.

The statistics were released in Pretoria.

Cele said: “It is disturbing and concerning that the number of people murdered during this period increased by 2.1%, leading to 155 more people murdered compared to the same period [in 2022].

“KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Free State must be singled out and commended for being able to register a reduction in the number of people murdered during this time.

“While they may not be out of the woods yet, it is important to highlight that attention and more resources have been allocated to stations that have the highest number of murders reported. Most of the top 30 stations where murders were most were in Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Eastern Cape.”

Cele highlighted that a concerning trend of 268 gang-related murder cases was that 250 were registered in the Western Cape.

“A total of 431 murders were linked to vigilantism and mob justice attacks, Gauteng registered the highest number with 84, followed by the Eastern Cape with 80 and KwaZulu-Natal with 78,” he said.

Highlighting convictions, he said:

• 42 murderers were handed 56 life sentences;
• 83 murderers were handed prison sentences of 20 and more;
• 282 murderers were handed a combined 287 years imprisonment in the 10-19 sentence category; and
• 215 murderers got a collective 216 years behind bars in the 5-9 sentence category.

Attempted murders went up by 13%, or 7,927 from 7,016, while assault GBH increased by 5.8%, or 53,513 from 50,582.

Within the sexual offences category, rape and sexual assault went down by 1.7% and 1.9% respectively.

Police registered 12, 211 rape cases between October and December 2023, down from 12,419 in 2022. Sexual assault went down to 2,114 from 2,154

Cele said: “ Gauteng, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Northern Cape and Western Cape all registered a decline in this crime category.”

Highlighting convictions in this category, he said:

• 112 life sentences were handed to 89 rapists and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) perpetrators;
• 64 rapists and GBVF perpetrators each received sentences of 20 years and above;
• 172 rapists and GBVF perpetrators were handed sentences of 10 to 19 years imprisonment; and
• 261 rapists and GBVF perpetrators were sentenced to one to nine years imprisonment.

Maj-Gen Norman Sekhukhune provided a breakdown of the crime categories.

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