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Murder has increased by five percent in the past year, national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said on Friday.
"We are very concerned about that," she told reporters, announcing crime statistics for the 2013/2014 financial year.
"We are saying murder requires also that society works very closely with us to assist us to achieve a reduction."
Attempted murder went up by 4.6% and aggravated robbery was up by 12.7%.
Phiyega says robbery with aggravating circumstances has shown significant increase.
Phiyega said since 2004/05, murder has increased by 5% but 17 serious crimes hade shown a downward trend.
She told the media briefing there had been a decrease in property related crimes and that overall the Police were seeing a decrease in crime.
Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko added that there were higher levesl of violence in society.
He said crimes including murder and attempted murder were increasing.
Nhleko said in the past five years there had been an increase in social unrest and that cultural violence and aggression needed to be eradicated.
He said Alcohol abuse is still a problem in the country.
