{"id":539532,"date":"2021-11-19T14:54:29","date_gmt":"2021-11-19T12:54:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=539532"},"modified":"2021-11-19T14:54:29","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T12:54:29","slug":"crime-data-shows-south-africas-murder-rate-on-the-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/lifestyle\/539532\/crime-data-shows-south-africas-murder-rate-on-the-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Crime data shows South Africa’s murder rate on the rise"},"content":{"rendered":"

The South African Police Service has presented the latest crime statistics for South Africa, covering the second quarter of the 2021\/22 year (July to September 2021).<\/p>\n

Overall crime levels decreased slightly over the second quarter, compared to the same period in 2020. However, Covid-19 lockdown levels have had an impact on this.<\/p>\n

Continuing the data trend the SAPS established in the first-quarter data, the police ministry compared the second-quarter data to ‘normal’ crime trends recorded in the second quarter of 2019.<\/p>\n

Year-on-year trends are essentially incomparable, the SAPS said, as lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic created major shifts in criminal behaviour during those periods.<\/p>\n

It is evident from the SAPS’ data that as lockdown restrictions and levels ease, criminal activity increases. The Q2 data in 2021 was captured over lockdown levels 3 and 2, while last year over the same period, lockdown levels were lower, at levels 2 and 1.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Despite these caveats, overall contact crimes were flat, up 1% over the period. Murders were up significantly, however, with 6,163 recorded in Q2, versus 5,107 last year – an increase of 20.7%.<\/p>\n

The largest increase was seen in contact-related crimes, which were up 7.4% year on year. The SAPS said this was mainly driven by the July riots in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng, which led to a 30.2% increase in cases of arson, and a 6.5% increase in cases of malicious damage to property.<\/p>\n

Burglary at non-residential premises – the category that the looting of stores would fall under – also saw a sharp increase at 18.7%, reflecting the rampant theft that took place at many shops over the period.<\/p>\n

The main changes are outlined below.<\/p>\n

\n

SA crime stats: Q2 2020 vs Q2 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
2020 vs 2021<\/th>\nJul-Sep 2020<\/th>\n\u00a0Jul-Sep 2021<\/th>\nChange<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Contact Crimes<\/td>\n135 821<\/td>\n137 145<\/td>\n+1.0%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Contact-related Crimes<\/td>\n26 991<\/td>\n28 988<\/td>\n+7.4%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Property-related Crimes<\/td>\n95 516<\/td>\n89 576<\/td>\n-6.2%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Other Serious Crimes<\/td>\n93 949<\/td>\n94 810<\/td>\n+0.9%<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total public reported<\/strong><\/td>\n352 277<\/strong><\/td>\n350 519<\/strong><\/td>\n-0.5%<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Crime detected as a result of police action<\/em><\/td>\n18 235<\/td>\n19 083<\/td>\n+4.7%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Total<\/strong><\/td>\n370 512<\/strong><\/td>\n369 602<\/strong><\/td>\n-0.2%<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n