Crime statistics recorded by the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the third quarter of the 2021/2022 financial year reveal an 8.9% increase in murder and a 3.5% increase in attempted murder when compared to the previous year.
This translates into an 11.3% increase in murder from the second quarter of last year until now.
MURDER
There were 6 859 murders between October and December, meaning that almost 75 people were murdered every day in the third quarter.
Out of the 6 859 people killed in the country, 902 were women and 352 were children, 232 of the overall murders were as a result of domestic violence, while 27 SAPS officers, were killed on and off duty, during this time.
The top four factors identified in these deaths are arguments, vigilantism, robberies and revenge or retaliation.
A total of 2 599 people were murdered in public places such as an open field, streets, parking areas and abandoned buildings.
The second most likely place for murder to occur is at the home of the victim or of the perpetrator.
Liquor outlets were the third most likely place to be killed in South Africa.
Attempted murder also increased from the second to third quarter by 9.46%.
There were 11 315 rapes in the last quarter of 2021.
FARM ATTACKS
In the farming community, 11 people were killed in 11 incidents of murder, which occurred in farms and small-holdings.
Three of these murders were either farm dwellers/workers or passerby’s who were reported to have been murdered as a result of an attack by the farm owner or farm manager.
And lastly, 2 605 kidnapping cases were opened with the police.
