IN NUMBERS | Crime and poverty stalks Ngcobo

Ngcobo‚ where the police station was attacked by robbers overnight‚ is the main town within the Engcobo Local Municipality‚ which falls within the Chris Hani District Municipality of the Eastern Cape.

The latest SAPS data for the Ngcobo precinct showed a total of 3‚270 crimes were reported in the 2017 year.

These included 77 cases of murder‚ 128 sexual offences‚ 225 cases of assault GBH‚ 22 robberies and 56 robberies with aggravating circumstances‚ according to data displayed by Crime Stats SA. There were also 151 cases of home burglaries. A total of 107 cases of stock theft were opened‚ up from 77 cases in 2008.

According to Census 2011‚ the Engcobo Local Municipality has a total population estimated at 155‚513‚ most of whom are black African.

The majority of the population is female (56%).

An average household size is four‚ and again‚ these are mostly female headed households (57‚7%).

The area has an unemployment rate of 45‚7% and a youth unemployment rate of 55‚3%.

Shockingly‚ 19‚7% of those aged 20 and older have no form of schooling.

People with Matric aged 20+ numbered only 9‚6%‚ according to the census data.