What you need to know about the latest South Africa crime statistics
The South African Police Service (SAPS) and Stats SA have published quarterly crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2020/21 period, covering criminal activity between October and December 2020.
Presented the latest data, Police Minister Bheki Cele said the numbers represent the crimes between Level 1 and Adjusted Level 3, which went into effect on December 15.
He said the statistics revealed some of the loopholes that exist in certain categories of police, as well as some of the police deficiencies that have occurred in certain provinces.
“The national crime statistics from October to December 2020 do not paint a good picture and therefore force us as SAPS to dig deep and put our shoulders behind the wheel.”
One of the biggest problems, according to Cele, is an increase in the number of murders. The statistics show an increase of 6.6% over the reporting period.
This means that 389 more people were killed than in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year.
Mpumalanga Province recorded the highest increase (13.7%) over the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Limpopo, North West and Northern Cape provinces saw decreases in homicide cases, of which 193 related to domestic violence.
The four main causes of these deaths are disputes, household and business robberies, mob justice incidents, and gangs-related murders, said Cele.
A total of 2,481 people were murdered in public areas, namely on the street, in the open field or in parking lots. Murders were also likely to have occurred in the victim or perpetrator’s home and in liquor stores.
SA crime statistics: Q2 2020 vs Q3 2020
Q2 against Q3 | Jul – Sep 2020 | Oct – Dec 2020 | change |
---|---|---|---|
Contact crime | 135 821 | 171 764 | + 26.5% |
Contact-related crimes | 26 991 | 30,989 | + 14.8% |
Property crime | 95 516 | 99 034 | + 3.7% |
Other serious crimes | 93 949 | 97 931 | + 4.2% |
Overall publicly reported | 352 277 | 399 718 | + 13.5% |
Crimes discovered as a result of police operations | 42 121 | 59 800 | + 42.0% |
total | 394 398 | 459 518 | + 16.5% |
SA crime statistics: Q3 2019 vs Q3 2020
2019 versus 2020 | Oct – Dec 2019 | Oct – Dec 2020 | change |
---|---|---|---|
Contact crime | 174 157 | 171 764 | -1.4% |
Contact-related crimes | 30 597 | 30,989 | + 1.3% |
Property crime | 117 583 | 99 034 | -15.8% |
Other serious crimes | 107 767 | 97 931 | -9.1% |
Overall publicly reported | 430 104 | 399 718 | -7.1% |
Crimes discovered as a result of police operations | 75 160 | 59 800 | -20.4% |
total | 505 264 | 459 518 | -9.1% |
- Contact crime These include murder, attempted murder, and sexual offenses, as well as frequent assault and robbery.
- Contact-related crimes This includes arson and malicious property damage.
- Other serious crimes This includes white collar crime, shoplifting, and all other types of theft. Heightened robberies include kidnappings, robberies in dormitories, and robberies on cash transports and bank robberies.
- Police crime cover crimes discovered through active policing, such as roadblocks and robberies. Categories that are covered by this are illegal possession of firearms, DUI or driving under the influence (of drugs or alcohol); and the use, possession or trafficking of illegal drugs.
Crime categories
Other important statistics are:
- Sex offenses identified as a result of police action increased by 5%. Between October and December last year, 12,218 people were raped – an increase of 181 cases, an increase of 1.5% over the previous reporting period.
- Inanda in the Eastern Cape and Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape are the areas where the highest number of rapes have been recorded.
- 18 murders occurred on farms and small businesses.
- All property-related crimes decreased by 15.8% – this includes livestock theft, break-ins and vehicles;
- 50,124 cases of bodily harm were opened within three months. Cele said this was largely due to alcohol abuse.
- Heightened robberies such as carjacking increased by 7%. There has been a significant increase in the hijacking of trucks, delivery drivers and couriers. There was also a 66% increase in van hijackings;
- The number of robberies in residential areas increased, while the number of robberies in companies decreased compared to the same period last year.
Biggest increase to biggest decrease in crimes Q3 2020/21
category | Oct – Dec 2019 | Oct – Dec 2020 | change |
---|---|---|---|
Cash robbery in transit | 39 | 65 | + 66.7% |
Truck hijacking | 325 | 436 | + 34.2% |
Attempted murder | 5 014 | 5 452 | + 8.7% |
White-collar crime | 21 725 | 23 428 | + 7.8% |
carjacking | 4,462 | 4,794 | + 7.4% |
murder | 5 908 | 6 297 | + 6.6% |
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 2 515 | 2 642 | + 5.0% |
Sexual offenses | 15 325 | 15 595 | + 1.8% |
Malicious property violation | 29 598 | 30 032 | + 1.5% |
Attack with the intention of causing serious injury | 49 428 | 50 124 | + 1.4% |
Robbery in residential buildings | 5,704 | 5,781 | + 1.3% |
Joint attack | 47 599 | 47 875 | + 0.6% |
Arson | 999 | 957 | -4.2% |
Robbery in non-residential buildings | 5 426 | 5 052 | -6.9% |
Warehouse theft | 8 437 | 7 854 | -6.9% |
Robbery with aggravating circumstances | 37 352 | 34 599 | -7.4% |
Burglary in non-residential buildings | 17 179 | 15 550 | -9.5% |
Drug crime | 41 520 | 37 546 | -9.6% |
Joint robbery | 13 351 | 11 822 | -11.5% |
All thefts are not mentioned elsewhere | 71 509 | 62 195 | -13.0% |
Theft of automobiles and motorcycles | 11 772 | 10 099 | -14.2% |
Shoplifting | 14 533 | 12 308 | -15.3% |
Burglary in residential buildings | 51 737 | 42 834 | -17.2% |
Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 4 114 | 3 353 | -18.5% |
Theft from or from motor vehicles | 28 458 | 22 697 | -20.2% |
Sexual crimes discovered as a result of police operations | 27 011 | 16 259 | -39.8% |
Bank robbery | 0 | 0 | – – |
Read: South Africa’s Latest Crime Statistics – All You Need To Know
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