Cele: Cops are winning the fight against crime

"FOR the first time since Covid-19 reached our shores in 2020, the murder rate of the country has declined in a single quarter."

These were the words of Police Minister Bheki Cele on Friday, 18 August, during a media briefing at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Tshwane.

The minister presented the crime statistics report between April and June 2023.

Cele said the crime stats give a sober assessment of the state of crime in the country, and the progress made by law enforcement to safeguard the nation and its people.

"We have analysed these recent figures and this ministry remains persuaded that the decision to aggressively and strategically confront crime, was the right one," he said.

The minister said while there are still unacceptably high levels of crime, cops are pushing back on crime, especially violent crimes.

"Between April and June this year cops recorded 6 228 counts of murder. This is 196 less people killed compared to the same time last year," said Cele.

He said that out of the 6 228 people killed during April to June, 1 188 were women and children.

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"The stats also show that police are making inroads in upscaling the protection of people's properties.

"All property related crimes such as burglaries residential, burglary non-residential, stock theft, theft of motor vehicles and theft out of motor vehicles recorded significant declines," he said.

Cele said while crime has an impact on ordinary South Africans, it is motivating that "we are starting to see decreases in crimes that instill fear among the people of this country".

"We are pleased that there has been less counts of contact related crimes, particularly common and street robberies as well as hijackings which declined by over 6,4%," he said.

The minister said that despite the drops, the police together with society must do more to protect the country's women and children as the murder of women and kids increased.

Between April and June this year, 895 women were murdered, 40 more than the same quarter the previous year, while the number stands at 293 for children, 50 more than the previous year.

There were 1 417 attempts to murder women, 238 more than the previous year, and 354 for children, 47 more than the previous year.

Cele said:

The crime figures show that majority of sexual assaults are still taking place between people who are familiar with each other. Sexual assaults are taking place in the homes of victims and perpetrators. It is on this score that we call on society not to look away.