Speech for the Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu, at the Release of the third quarter Crime Statistics, at the GCIS Offices, 21 February 2025

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND INTRODUCTION

Let me acknowledge the presence of the:

Deputy Minister of Police, Ms Polly Boshielo,
National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola,
Special Advisor to the Minister, Advocate Vusi Pikoli,
Deputy National Commissioners present,
Provincial Commissioners connected virtually,
Major-General Makwela, representing the Head of the DPCI,
Heads of Entities present,
Members of the media, those present here today and those on virtual platforms,
Ladies and gentlemen,

We extend our greetings to all of you gathered here.

1. We extend our greetings to all South Africans this morning. We are gathered here to report on the crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, covering the period from 1 October 2024 to 31 December 2024; this is in fulfilment of an important constitutional mandate as per the principles that govern public administration, accountability and transparency.

2. Section 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, guarantees every person the right to freedom and security; this includes the right to be free from all forms of violence, whether from public or private sources. To this effect, Section 205 of the Constitution mandates the South African Police Service (SAPS) to prevent, combat, and investigate crime, maintain public order, protect and secure the inhabitants of our nation and their property, and to uphold and enforce the law.

3. There are four provinces namely; Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern and Western Cape, that dominate on criminality; they coincide with where our metros are in the whole country and are densely populated.

4. We are still very concerned about police murders in the country and we want to emphasise that this will not be tolerated at all; yesterday’s incident near Butterworth illustrates this very clearly.

5. We are positioning ourselves accordingly in terms of policing whilst we continue our work throughout the whole country.
    

OVERVIEW OF CRIME STATISTICS FOR THE THIRD QUARTER

6. The statistics we present today show a significant shift in our national crime landscape. Encouragingly, we have observed an overall decrease in several categories of crime. When compared to the same period in the previous year (1 October 2023 to 31 December 2023), we have recorded:

• A 9.8% decrease in murder cases;
• A 3.3% reduction in rape cases;
• A 3.2% drop in attempted sexual offences;
• A notable decline in carjackings and robberies at both residential and non-residential premises.

7. We have also registered a 4.5% reduction in stock theft, which is a welcome relief for farmers, communities and the agricultural sector as a whole. This positive shift highlights the importance of continued collaboration between law enforcement, local leaders and communities to safeguard this vital industry. Although the percentage appears to be relatively small, we note the outcry of communities that farm livestock, particularly in the eastern Free State, north western parts of KZN and in the northern Eastern Cape, hence our plan to combine these three provinces in a meeting to discuss this challenge.

8. We must, however, also acknowledge the areas that require urgent attention. We have seen an increase in cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and malicious damage to property. These crimes continue to disrupt communities and demand a reinforced response from law enforcement.
    

PROVINCIAL BREAKDOWN OF CRIME TRENDS

9. For the third quarter, all provinces recorded a decrease in murder cases, marking a significant milestone in our national crime reduction efforts. However, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal remain the highest contributors to overall national murder figures, accounting for 25.0% and 21.4% respectively, followed by the Eastern Cape at 18.9% and the Western Cape at 17.4%.

10. The Western Cape continues to record the highest number of gang-related murders, with 263 counts reported in this quarter alone. This is completely unacceptable and it must change. A large number of these murders (collectively amounting to a figure of 135) occurred in Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain, Kleinvlei, Delft and Elsies River.

11. The issue of gang violence requires a rethink in approach, because this is not only a historic matter but is also repetitive in nature; there is no point in us discussing one and the same thing with no change. We are dedicating the 27^th of February (that is, next week Thursday) to amongst other things, review policing in high murder zones, and our focus will therefore be on murders and firearms, whereafter we will decide on the concrete steps that need to be taken. Partnerships with communities and other partners will be a critical element in the rethink in approach.

12. A combination of interventions indicates that there are much more effective methods of fighting crime and criminals. Several individuals have been dealt with in a number of areas in the Eastern Cape recently and Kwa-Zulu Natal, following a series of taxi violence and extortion related murders. I do want to state that no one is classified as “untouchable” – you do wrong, we arrest you.

13. While we register an overall reduction in contact crimes against women, we are deeply concerned by the increase in attempted murder cases against children aged 0 to 17 years. This is an alarming development that calls for a concerted effort to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

14. Additionally, rape cases have increased in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and the Free State, whereas other provinces have recorded decreases. This data serves as a stark reminder that Gender-Based Violence remains a critical issue requiring intensified interventions.

15. We note the concern of the public. About extortions, kidnappings and drugs; all of these matters will receive our attention on the 27^th of this month. We note that most of these kidnappings are said to be orchestrated from St Albans prisons, and the mastermind of these kidnappings still has access to a number of cellphones.

POLICE ACTION AND CRIME PREVENTION INITIATIVES

16. These reductions indicate that the strategies and interventions we have implemented are yielding results. Our Safer Festive Season initiative, launched in October 2024, has played a significant role in the recorded crime reductions. Through heightened police visibility and strategic operations, fewer crimes were reported and recorded during this period.

17. A key element in our crime-fighting strategy has been Project 10 000, aimed at bolstering police personnel. On 5 February 2025, we welcomed 5,500 new recruits at various SAPS academies. These individuals will undergo rigorous training and, upon completion, will reinforce our crime-fighting efforts as Constables. This initiative not only enhances policing capacity but also contributes to job creation, a crucial aspect in addressing social determinants of crime.

18. There are a number of crimes that are detected as a result of proactive police action, through the various operations carried out by the SAPS and the statistics indicate that has been an increase in cases of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Just yesterday, 16 049 firearms were destroyed in accordance with Section 149 of the Firearms Control Act. We will continue to carry out measures aimed at ensuring that illegal weapons are seized and destroyed, so as to ensure the safety of our communities.
     

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES OF CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

19. While progress has been made, we recognise that crime remains a major concern. Among our key challenges is the backlog of outstanding dockets. This issue has now been ‘projectised’ and costed, and we are actively securing funding to expedite investigations and prosecutions.

20. To effectively combat crime, we have identified a number of key enablers which we will need strengthening, these include:

• Making use of and improving our technology
• Strengthening our Crime Intelligence
• Capacitating and improving the efficiency of our detective services
• Improving our forensic services
• Improvement of general environment under which police officers work

21. Commercial crimes remain a challenge, particularly fraud and corruption. We are confident that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) will continue to intensify efforts to combat these offences and hold perpetrators accountable.

STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

22. Fighting crime is not a task for law enforcement alone. It requires the active participation of communities, the private sector, and various stakeholders. We are enhancing our collaboration with the private sector and civil society to strengthen crime prevention measures and improve public safety.

23. We appeal to communities to work hand in hand with law enforcement. Crime thrives in silence, and we urge all South Africans to report criminal activities, cooperate with the police, and participate in community policing forums.

24. We welcome the arrest of one of the suspects in the Zanzou case and we commend our law enforcement agencies for their diligent work. Investigations are still underway and we anticipate more arrests.
     

CONCLUSION

25. We recently concluded a 3-day Employee Health and Wellness Workshop, where we actively engaged on a number of issues relating to the wellbeing of our members. We are interrogating the recommendations by the various commissions and will implement those into either legislation, policy or practice.

26. In April, we will be hosting the National Policing Summit, as we work towards adopting a proactive and holistic approach to law enforcement, addressing the systemic challenges that hinder the effectiveness of policing in South Africa.

27. As the Ministry of Police, we remain resolute in our commitment to upholding the constitutional promise of safety and security for all. These crime statistics reflect progress, but they also highlight areas requiring urgent intervention. We assure South Africans that we are hard at work to address these challenges, and we will not relent in our efforts to build a safer, more secure nation.

I thank you.