South Africa’s police statistics show that more than 7,000 people have been murdered over the past three months, an increase over last year. Detailed crime statistics for the period July 1 to September 30, 2022, were presented to the parliamentary portfolio committee on police this week.
Between July and September, the murder rate increased 14 percent compared with the same period in 2021, when 6,163 people were killed.
The period in 2022 saw almost 1,000 women murdered. There were more than 13,000 assaults with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, as well as 1,277 attempted murders against women.
“South Africa continues to abuse, violate and kill women at an alarming rate,” Police Minister Bheki Cele said. Additionally, kidnappings grew by more than 4,000 from last year, and rapes went up 11 percent in a country famed for its sex attacks against women and children. The number of carjackings increased by 24 percent to more than 6,000.
There were more than 550 deaths of children between April and September. We are failing to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society: our children, according to the crime statistics.
During the Christmas and New Year holiday season, when crime typically spikes, the police minister promised 10,000 new recruits.But that will be of little consolation for many South Africans who have grown accustomed to bleak police bulletins.
“The bloodbath of violent crime remains out of control across the country with millions of people living in fear,” said Andrew Whitfield, a lawmaker with the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to fire Cele.