Africa-Press – South-Africa. The latest crime statistics reveal that three police stations in KwaZulu-Natal have become a hotbed of murders in South Africa.
Police precincts in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng were in the top 10 for murders out of a list of 30 police stations, the statistics showed.
On Friday, police management presented the quarterly crime statistics to the Portfolio Committee on Police in Parliament.
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In KwaZulu-Natal, the Umlazi, Inanda, and Plessislaer police stations were the three stations with the highest murders recorded.
At number four is the Harare police station in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
It is followed by Kraaifontein, Delft, Mfuleni, and Khayelitsha.
Given the size of Khayelitsha, the area has three police stations.
Kagiso police station in Gauteng and Mthatha in the Eastern Cape complete the top 10, coming in at number nine and 10, respectively.
In just three months, 6 083 people were murdered in South Africa. The high number of murders between January and March this year represents a 22% increase from the same period last year when 4 976 murders were recorded.
Gender-based violence statistics also featured high in the crime stats.
Between January and March 2022, 898 women were murdered.
During the same period, 1 222 attempted murder cases were reported, and 15 034 assault cases.
Statistics showed that 306 children were murdered.
Altogether 331 attempted murders were reported. In respect of assault, 1 937 cases of assault on children were reported.
These figures account for both girls and boys.
Kidnappings
Gauteng and Mpumalanga appear to be the provinces where most kidnappings are reported, statistics show. Kempton Park police station in Gauteng recorded 56 kidnappings – the highest in the country.
Delmas police station in Mpumalanga came in second with 53 recorded kidnappings.
According to DA MP Andrew Whitfield, South Africans are living in permanent fear that they will become the next crime statistic.
“These crime statistics come at a time when 61% of South African Police Service (SAPS) members don’t believe that they are winning the fight against crime. Neither the public nor the SAPS themselves have confidence in the police to fight crime. Time after time President Ramaphosa has promised to reduce violent crimes, but these crime stats betray that promise, with almost every single category of crime increasing significantly year on year since 2018. It is now abundantly clear to the public and members of the SAPS that (Police) Minister (Bheki) Cele is not fit to serve in his position,” Whitfield said.
Committee chairperson Tina Monica Joemat-Pettersson said: “We need further oversight on this matter. I am concerned about the number of murders. While these are quarterly statistics, it is for the final quarter. Some of the station commanders of police stations in high crime areas will have to come and explain what is going on and why the statistics in the areas are so high.”
Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald said the high number of murders of children “is most disturbing”.
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