Crime Stats: 3.1% Dip in Murders Overshadowed by Rise in Women and Child Killings From April to June

• Police Minister Bheki Cele and the top brass of law enforcement have revealed the latest promising crime stats for 2023/24 Q1
• Murders overall dropped by 3.1%, a beacon of hope, but shockingly, the lives of women and children are under threat
• Minister Cele said that while some victory bells are ringing, the battle for safety rages on

CAPE TOWN - Police minister Bheki Cele and the who's who in SA’s policing sector presented the latest crime statistics for the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year on Friday, 18 August. For the first time in a long time, the crime rate in South Africa is showing some improvement.

The number of murders between April and June of 2023 dropped by 3.1%, an achievement that should be celebrated but is overshadowed by the fact that murders of women and children increased.

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SowetanLIVE reported that sexual offences and other crimes of that nature marginally decreased by 2%.

How many women and children were murdered?

From April to June this year, 895 women were murdered and 293 children tragically lost their lives. That is an increase of 40 and 50 murders, respectively, from the previous year.

Attempted murders of these vulnerable groups also showed a troubling increase, with 238 more attempts on women female lives in 2023 and 354 attempted murders against children.

While Minister Cele lauded the improvement in the crime stats, claiming that the tide looked to be turning in the police’s favour, the police minister said the strides don’t put the stats where they need to be, News24 reported.

Activist fights against gender-based violence

In another story, Briefly News reported that a young and inspiring activist, Khethiwe Sibanyoni, has taken a stand against gender-based violence by establishing a foundation.

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With a passion for change and determination to make a difference, Sibanyoni's efforts have garnered attention and support from those who believe in the urgent need to address the GBV crisis in South Africa.

In the first three months of 2023, 1 0512 women were raped, 1 485 attempted murders of women were reported and 969 women were killed.

Source: Briefly News