{"id":340513,"date":"2019-09-12T09:59:38","date_gmt":"2019-09-12T07:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=340513"},"modified":"2019-09-12T12:12:05","modified_gmt":"2019-09-12T10:12:05","slug":"south-africa-crime-stats-2019-everything-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/340513\/south-africa-crime-stats-2019-everything-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africa crime stats 2019: everything you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"

The South African Police Service, with Stats SA, has published the country’s crime statistics for 2018\/19, showing which types of criminal activity have increased – and decreased – in the past year.<\/p>\n

The stats cover 21 crime categories – 17 of which are reported by the public, and four of which are as a result of police activity.<\/p>\n

Understanding the changes, the 17 reported crimes should show a decrease to indicate improvement in that category, while the four police-reported crimes should increase, to show more effective policing.<\/p>\n

Changes to crime stats in those latter four categories do not necessarily indicate an increase in those types of crimes, but could be attributed to more intensive police activity.<\/p>\n

The statistics cover all reported crimes between 1 April 2018 and March 2019.<\/p>\n

A total of 2.01 million crimes were recorded in 2019 – down from the 2.09 million recorded in 2018. This represents a 1% increase in the number of reported crimes in the 17 public categories, along with a massive 22% decline in the number of crimes as a result of police action.<\/p>\n

Crimes detected as a result of police action cover crimes discovered by active policing, namely road-blocks and raids. Categories covered by this are the illegal possession of firearms, DUI or driving under the influence (of drugs or alcohol); and the use, possession or trade of illegal drugs.<\/p>\n

The reason highlighted for the major drop in the number of crimes detected through police action was due to the country’s new position on the private use of cannabis, which resulted in far fewer arrests in this category, the SAPS said.<\/p>\n

However, there was also a worrying drop in the number of arrests made relating to illegal firearms in this category.<\/p>\n

Here are the stats for the general categories:<\/p>\n

SA crime stats for 2019 (1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Category<\/th>\n2018<\/th>\n2019<\/th>\nChange<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Contact Crimes<\/td>\n601 366<\/td>\n617 210<\/td>\n+2.6%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Contact-related Crimes<\/td>\n115 361<\/td>\n117 172<\/td>\n+1.6%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Property-related Crimes<\/td>\n507 975<\/td>\n495 161<\/td>\n-2.5%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Other Serious Crimes<\/td>\n438 113<\/td>\n444 447<\/td>\n+1.4%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total public reported<\/strong><\/td>\n1 662 815<\/strong><\/td>\n1 673 990<\/strong><\/td>\n+0.7%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Crime detected as a result of police action<\/em><\/td>\n433 966<\/td>\n339 281<\/td>\n-21.8%<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n2 096 781<\/strong><\/td>\n2 013 271<\/strong><\/td>\n-4.0%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    \n
  • Contact crimes<\/strong> include murder, attempted murder and sexual offences, as well as common assault and robbery.<\/li>\n
  • Contact-related crimes<\/strong> include arson and malicious injury to property.<\/li>\n
  • Other serious crimes<\/strong> include commercial crime, shop-lifting and all other types of theft – while aggravated robbery includes hijackings, robbery at residences and cash-in-transit heists and bank robberies.<\/li>\n
  • Crimes\u00a0detected\u00a0as a result of police action<\/strong> cover crimes discovered by active policing, such as road-blocks and raids. Categories covered by this are the\u00a0illegal possession of firearms, DUI or driving under the influence (of drugs or alcohol); and the use, possession or trade of illegal drugs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n

    Crime categories<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Murder increased by 3.4%, the SAPS said, noting that 60% of all murders in the country took place on a weekend between 21h00 and 03h00. Including Monday, this jumps up to 70% of all murders. The police said that this is likely tied to alcohol and drug abuse, which ramps up over the weekend at these times.<\/p>\n

    In all provinces except the Northern Cape, the main weapon used in murder (and attempted murder) are guns, followed by knives. In the Northern Cape, knives were the most used.<\/p>\n

    In terms of sexual offences, the country has seen another drastic increase in reported crimes, up 4.6% from last year. However, sexual offences detected as a result of police action has also seen a big climb, up 19%, showing active policing in this specific area.<\/p>\n

    The biggest jump in crime was seen in commercial crime, which was up 14.4%.<\/p>\n

    Crimes are counted per charge, not per docket, as one docket may contain many charges.<\/p>\n

    All crime stats include attempts, with the exception of murder and rape, as attempted murder and attempted rape are recorded separately.<\/p>\n

    Crimes detected as a result of police action are italicised in the table below. Here and increase is seen as a positive move (more active policing), while a decline is seen as more negative, hence their positioning.<\/p>\n

    These are the crimes which have increased and decreased in the last year:<\/p>\n

    Biggest increase to biggest decrease in crimes 2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Category<\/th>\n2018<\/th>\n2019<\/th>\nChange<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sexual offences discovered as result of police action<\/em><\/td>\n6 701<\/em><\/td>\n7 976<\/em><\/td>\n+19.0%<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Commercial crime<\/td>\n73 277<\/td>\n83 823<\/td>\n+14.4%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Arson<\/td>\n3 869<\/td>\n4 083<\/td>\n+5.5%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Sexual Offences<\/td>\n50 108<\/td>\n52 420<\/td>\n+4.6%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Attempted murder<\/td>\n18 233<\/td>\n18 980<\/td>\n+4.1%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Common assault<\/td>\n156 243<\/td>\n162 012<\/td>\n+3.7%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Murder<\/td>\n20 336<\/td>\n21 022<\/td>\n+3.4%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Stock-theft<\/td>\n28 849<\/td>\n29 672<\/td>\n+2.9%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm<\/td>\n167 352<\/td>\n170 979<\/td>\n+2.2%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Common robbery<\/td>\n50 730<\/td>\n51 765<\/td>\n+2.0%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Malicious injury to property<\/td>\n111 492<\/td>\n113 089<\/td>\n+1.6%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Robbery with aggravating circumstances<\/td>\n138 364<\/td>\n140 032<\/td>\n+1.2%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Robbery at residential premises<\/td>\n22 261<\/td>\n22 431<\/td>\n+0.8%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Burglary at non-residential premises<\/td>\n71 195<\/td>\n71 224<\/td>\n0.0%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Robbery at non-residential premises<\/td>\n20 047<\/td>\n19 991<\/td>\n-0.3%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    All theft not mentioned elsewhere<\/td>\n302 656<\/td>\n300 457<\/td>\n-0.7%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Truck hijacking<\/td>\n1 202<\/td>\n1 182<\/td>\n-1.7%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Carjacking<\/td>\n16 325<\/td>\n16 026<\/td>\n-1.8%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Theft out of or from motor vehicle<\/td>\n129 174<\/td>\n125 076<\/td>\n-3.2%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Burglary at residential premises<\/td>\n228 094<\/td>\n220 865<\/td>\n-3.2%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Shoplifting<\/td>\n62 180<\/td>\n60 167<\/td>\n-3.2%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs<\/em><\/td>\n86 160<\/em><\/td>\n82 912<\/em><\/td>\n-3.8%<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle<\/td>\n50 663<\/td>\n48 324<\/td>\n-4.6%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition<\/em><\/td>\n17 558<\/em><\/td>\n15 736<\/em><\/td>\n-10.4%<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Robbery of cash in transit<\/td>\n238<\/td>\n183<\/td>\n-23.1%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Drug-related crime<\/em><\/td>\n323 547<\/em><\/td>\n232 657<\/em><\/td>\n-28.1%<\/em><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Bank robbery<\/td>\n13<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n-69.2%<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    The full presentation is embedded below:<\/p>\n

    2018:19 Crime Stats<\/a> by BusinessTech<\/a> on Scribd<\/p>\n