Femicide, GBV ‘a priority’

We need programmes to teach young girls, boys violence is not love.’

- Jarryd Westerdale

Crime statistics for the second quarter of the current financial year painted a positive picture, with serious crimes such as murder and sexual offences reducing.

Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu released the crime statistics for the second quarter of the 2024-25 financial year yesterday.

Mchunu listed the core crimes as murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) and rape.

Violent crimes were receiving priority treatment by police, which showed a 5.8% decrease in murder and a 2.5% decrease in sexual offences from the same three-month period last year, he said.

However, police still recorded a total of 160 935 serious crimes.

Other successes were the decrease in common robbery and aggravated robbery, down 6.2% and 8.8%, respectively.

But, attempted murder was up by 2.2% and assault GBH was up by 1% from last year.

"While we have made significant strides, the path has not been easy and we know there is still work to be done," said Mchunu.