Mbalula reveals deputy's nephew murdered, releases crime stats
Police Minister Fikile Mbalula was explaining to lawmakers why his deputy could not be in the national legislature on Tuesday for the release of the annual national crime statistics.
CAPE TOWN - On the same day that Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has released the annual national crime statistics in Parliament, he’s revealed that his deputy minister Bongani Mkongi’s nephew was killed in Khayelitsha.
Mbalula was explaining to lawmakers why his deputy could not be in the national legislature on Tuesday.
The minister announced there has been a 1.8% decrease in community-reported serious crimes, driven mainly by reductions in contact crimes.
[NEWS IN NUMBERS] Murder remains a problem as it is up 1.8% @MbalulaFikile #crimestats https://t.co/r88CoGvmGt pic.twitter.com/Ex7kweoYPc
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) October 24, 2017
But he concedes that the level for murder and aggravated robberies remain a concern.
Following two successive years of increases in contact crimes, there’s been a 2.4% reduction in this category during the 2016/2017 financial year.
Mbalula says that research has shown that the majority of contact crimes are social in nature.
"It occurs among people who know one another. For this reason, it is extremely difficult for SAPS to prevent the levels of such crimes alone. This calls for structured partnerships, such as the Department of Social Development."
Murder has continued its upward trend: the number of killings in the country increased by 1.8%.
#sapsHQ Contact Crime #CrimeStats: Murder: Provincial Overview-ratio. ME pic.twitter.com/Nreks5E7Oq
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 24, 2017
Aggravated robberies have also increased by 6.4%; while the trio crimes of carjacking, residential and non-residential robberies are up again.
#sapsHQ Property related crimes #CrimeStats: highlights on the property related crimes: Provincial Overview. ME pic.twitter.com/m8lD6xuHPN
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 24, 2017
The number of sexual offences reported to police has gone down by 4.3%. In particular, incidents of rape have decreased by 4%.
#sapsHQ Contact related crimes #CrimeStats: Highlights on Contact related crimes: Provincial breakdown (total & percentage change). ME pic.twitter.com/cDolTPvvAn
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) October 24, 2017
(Edited by Shimoney Regter)