AN OVERVIEW OF THE CRIME STATISTICS MINISTER OF POLICE NKOSINATHI NHLEKO Cape Town 29 September 2015

Introduction Crime statistics are not only about numbers and the performance of the police: they reflect the society at large When reflecting on the figures, please remember that victims of crime are not just ink on paper but human beings – real people with wants, needs, desires and families The figures being presented today should make us all resolved to fight crime in the way that we can without taking the law into our hands

Introduction The South African Police Services is responsible for close to 54 million people and has a footprint of 1138 police stations It has a personnel strength of 194 852, and the police vs population distribution ratio is 1:358 (UN standard is 1:460)

Integrity We continue to improve integrity of our statistics. That is why SAPS and StatsSA signed an MOU this year for: Provision of technical support to SAPS in its production of policing data Supporting SAPS in consolidating crime statistical definitions and counting rules to produce data for quality statistics Forming a Joint Working Party to inmplements projects for collaboration in the production of identified data Supporting SAPS to monitor and forecast trends in the country’s crime statistics StatsSA have assessed our statistics against: Methodological Soundness, Accuracy, Comparability and Coherence and Integrity and Timeliness,

10 year longitudinal view Over a period of ten years, we have successfully decreased the following categories of crimes: Contact crimes (17.8%) Contact-related crimes (15.6%) Other serious crimes (7.6%) Property-related crimes (2.3%)

Anatomy of Serious Crime The report focuses on 17 community reported serious crimes and three police-detected serious crimes 17 Community-reported Serious Crime (83.4 percent) Contact crime(34.4% = 0.9% increase) - Murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, assault GBH, common assault, robber aggravating and common robbery Contact related crime (7% = 1.9% increase) - Arson, malicious damage to property

Anatomy Cont… Property related crime (30.8% = - 0.8%) - Housebreaking residential, housebreaking other premises, theft of motor vehicle/ cycle, theft out of and from motor vehicle and stock theft Other serious crime (27.8% = -2.2%) - Ordinary theft (other theft), fraud related (commercial crime) and shop-lifting 3 Police-detected Serious Crime (16.6%) Unlawful possession of firearm/ ammunition Driving under the influence (drugs and alcohol) Unlawful possession of and dealing in drugs

Performance Outlook 83.4 percent of the community reported serious crimes lead to the arrests and charging of 1 795 947 persons 4808 arrested by DPCI Secured 1043 life sentences imposed on 739 suspects, 680 life sentences against women and children (FCS unit) 686 police arrested for various types of crimes in 2014/15 Recovered 36186 reported lost/robbed vehicles Police detected crime has increased by 16.6 percent in the reporting period which resulted in 350 579 arrests

What Do The Statistics Suggest? We continue to have violence as a feature of our social outlook as the South African society In essence, the issue of contact crimes is a social phenomena and is a matter that needs to be dealt with at a multi-disciplinary level across society The causal link between the commission of crime and drug/alcohol abuse continues to be a standing features of driving up levels of crime despite closing down 37 979 unlicensed/illegal liquor premises and confiscating 1.7 billion litres of alcohol

What do statistics suggest It is also encouraging to note that the levels of police detection compared to last year is on the increase There has been an increase in social unrest year-on-year which suggest other pressure points and required action

Observations The trends for the past ten and five years have shown a decrease whilst in the year under review there has been an increase in certain categories of crime such as: Contact crimes – 0.9% increase Contact related crimes – 1.9% increase Property related crime – 0.8% decrease Other serious crime – 2.2% decrease Continued overall decrease in crimes against women and children

Observations There are still high levels of violence and aggression in our society and this is a serious concern Socio-economic inequality is also contributing to the levels of crime Prevalence of firearms even with thousands being destroyed every year Influx of undocumented immigrants Resurgence of taxi-related violence Thriving market for second-hand goods

What needs to done The National Development Plan places emphasis on the creation of partnerships in creating conditions of safety and security In this regard, we will continue to work and harness efforts and remain committed to building partnerships with business and communities in fighting crime and eradication of criminality from our society