Bheki Cele Releases South Africa’s 1st Quarter Crime Stats, Murder Rate Increased by 22% From Last Year

• Minister of Police General Bheki Cele presented the crime statistics to the Portfolio Committee and the figures are concerning
• According to the minister, the number of murders that occurred in the same period last year increased by 22%
• More than 13 000 sexual offences and 5 717 attempted murders were reported in the first quarter of the year

PRETORIA - Minister of Police General Bheki Cele presented the crime statistics for January to March 2022 on Friday 3 June.

The number of murders that occurred in the same period last year increased by 22%. In the first quarter, 6 083 people were murdered in South Africa, compared to 4 976 last year.

Cele briefed the Portfolio Committee on Police in Parliament on the quarterly stats. News24 reported that more than 13 000 sexual offences and 5 717 attempted murders were reported in the first three months of the year.

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In May the minister presented the quarterly crime statistics that reflected crimes from January to March 2021, according to SABC News.

South Africans are outraged over the high number of murders and believe that an urgent intervention is needed in the country:

M Porsh M Selogelo said:

“In a country where someone will say ( ketlaho pantitela) meaning they don’t mind going to prison for killing you, I mean how many people are killed by parolees that are out after less than 10 years in prison, so many courts are too lenient on this criminals.”

Nicolette Plekker wrote:

“With any types of weapons freely available and the country being a "free for all" with zero justice system, what does one expect? Crime is just going to rise even more.”

Angie Manser commented:

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“I guess nothing is being done about the crime like we were promised.”

Mzingaye Setheli posted:

“Blood bath in the so-called democratic government. Our elders who were being forced to go to church had better morals than us.”

Joyce Yvette Viviers stated:

“The death penalty needs to be reinstated. Only solution.”

Mimi Yandiswa Spofana added:

“6 000 and how many were arrested and charged? most are still amongst us and known.”

SAPS presents 2021 3rd quarter crime stats, 900 women murdered, rapes decreased

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported on 18 February, the South African Police Service (SAPS) presented South Africa's crime statistics for October to December 2021 to the Portfolio Committee on Police. Bheki Cele, the Minister of Police, and Khehla Sitole, the police commissioner, attended the presentation in Cape Town, which Major General Thulare Sekhukhune led.

Sekhukhune reported that in the period, there were 562 more murders in South Africa than in the third quarter of 2020, News24 reports. This represents an 8.95 increase in 12 months. In addition, 900 of the people killed in this period were women.

Source: Briefly News