Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has affirmed his commitment to fighting crime and restoring safety in the country.
Delivering the quarterly crime statistics, Mchunu said the South African Police Service (SAPS) will not rest until every South African can walk the streets without fear.
"We stand united in this fight. Together with our partners and communities, we will confront these challenges head-on and work tirelessly to ensure that South Africa is a place where all can feel safe and secure once again," the minister said.
Mchunu said the stats for the fourth quarter of the 2023/24 financial year and the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, tell a sobering story.
"These numbers represent more than just figures on a page; they reflect the lived realities of our citizens — their fears, their losses, and their hopes for a safer tomorrow," he said.
Mchunu announced that the Western Cape recorded an increase in murder cases, followed by the North West, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. In the majority of these cases, a firearm of a knife was used to carry out the crime.
Carjackings have also increased in the Eastern and Western Capes, while there has been a reduction in cash heists.
Mchunu said the Ministry has set out four priorities to tackle crime:
- Bringing crime levels down
- Professionalisation of the police service and uprooting of corruption within the SAPS
- Investment in Technology
- Capacitation of the Crime Intelligence Unit.
Democratic Alliance spokesperson on Community Safety and Liaison in KZN, Riona Gokool, welcomed commitment to ensuring a professional police force, investing in crime fighting technology and the strong condemnation of so-called mafias and other extortionists.
Meanwhile, ActionSA said a small decrease in murders offered little comfort, as violence against women and children persisted.
“The first quarter of 2024/2025 saw 966 women and 314 children murdered – an appalling statistic that underscores the failure of our government to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. These figures translate to 11 women and three children being murdered every day.
“Despite the slight improvement from the previous quarter’s figures, where 253 children were killed, the daily reality of these tragedies continues to be a national shame,” said ActionSA MP, Dereleen James.
Action Society has welcomed Mchunu's commitment to fight crime.
"We welcome Minister Mchunu’s action plan which includes a commitment to uproot and tackle corruption within the police and a planned strengthening of the police’s crime intelligence capabilities to target criminal networks," said Action Society spokesperson Juanita du Preez.
"We hope that these new strategies under the stewardship of Minister Mchunu will yield results and make South Africa a safer place. We also hope that we can develop a working relationship with the new minister and that he will consider our proposals for reform," she said.
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