The South African Police Services (SAPS) has announced a spike in murders, rapes and armed robberies in the country.
Police Minister Bheki Cele briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police on the 2018/2019 annual crime statistics. He was joined by the Deputy Minister of Police Cassel Mathale and the National Commissioner Khehla Sitole along with other senior management of the SAPS.
In the 2017/2018 crime stats, murder showed a 7% increase with over 20 000 murders occurring. Rapes and other sexual offences increased by 4.6%.
Nyanga in Cape Town was labelled the country’s murder capital, followed by Umlazi.
Murders of women and children also increased along with cash-in-transit heists as well as bank robberies.
In the Western Cape, gang violence and gender based murders escalated causing an outcry. It was also the first time the army was deployed to curb gang violence on the Cape flats.
