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CRIME STATISTICS FOR THE PERIOD 1 JANUARY TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2001

The South African Police Service's Crime Information Analysis Centre has made available to me the most recent crime statistics covering a period from 1 January to the end of September this year. The SAPS has made tremendous progress to enhance the system utilised for the capturing and analysis of crime statistics during the past year. More than 50 action steps have been implemented in this regard, including the training of station personnel and police management on various levels, the appointment of data typists, the implementation of a Geographical Information System and the establishment of Crime Information and Analysis Centres at the 340 priority stations in the country. South Africa can currently boast of having one of the most advanced systems to capture and analyse crime statistics in the world.

I am therefore pleased to announce that tremendous progress has been made by the SAPS in their undying quest to fight crime relentlessly.

The SAPS's National Crime Combating Strategy has begun to show clear signs of success when the 2001 period is compared to corresponding periods as far back as 1994. With the announcement of the Strategy in April 2000 we had indicated that we were aiming to stabilise crime over a period of 3 years, namely 2001 - 2003. Today I can announce that this objective has already been achieved in less than 50% of the time that we have planned for.

Seventeen (17) of the 20 priority serious crimes have either decreased or stabilised during the first 18 months of the implementation of the NCCS.

This stabilisation has been achieved against abnormal circumstances, at the height of the country's transition, which manifested itself in rapid urbanisation, unemployment and moral decay. Stability has also been achieved in the majority of the 145 identified high crime areas which generate more than 50% of South Africa's serious crime figure. This could inter-alia be attributed to the introduction of information and intelligence based policing.

Credit should also be given to the community of South Africa who continue to report criminals to the SAPS.

It is encouraging to note that murder, although still a serious area of concern, has decreased by 4,9% when 2001 is compared with 2000. Over the period 1994 to 2001 murder has in actual fact decreased by more than 25%.

According to studies conducted by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in collaboration with the Crime Information Analysis Centre (CIAC) at ten police stations (sites) in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg over three data collection periods - approximately 50% of the persons arrested for murder and attempted murder during the collection periods tested positive for the use of any type of drugs. The drugs most frequently used in this regard were cannabis and mandrax.

The results of the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System (NIMSS) conducted by the MRC, CSIR and UNISA for 2000 indicate that nearly 60% of murder cases were alcohol related. The highest correlation was found amongst murders committed with sharp objects (80%). More than half of the murders committed with blunt objects and almost half the cases in which firearms were involved were also alcohol related.

If the incidence of reported cases of rape and attempted rape in South Africa over the period 1994 to 2001 is considered, it is evident that there had been a stabilisation in this crime type. This can, inter alia, be attributed to special awareness campaigns and the establishment of specialised units and individuals at station level to deal with rape cases. However, when the categories of adult and child rape are separated, an increase in child rapes becomes evident during the past two years. South Africa has also been confronted with shocking incidents of the rape of young children over the past few months.

Docket analysis and other survey findings reveal that the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs play an important role in the incidence of rape and attempted rape, as far as both victims and offenders are concerned.

An analysis of the flow of rape and attempted rape cases through the Criminal Justice System however indicates that the withdrawal of cases by victims is significantly high, which impacts negatively on the conviction rate.

According to all analyses done over the past six years, assault GBH and common assault, accounting for the second largest proportion of serious crime reported in the RSA during 2001 (20.1%), are mostly committed within the domestic/family environment and the drinking environment (i.e. in or at bars, taverns, shebeens, etc). Where knives, other sharp instruments, broken bottles or, to a lesser extent, firearms are used in assaults, these may sometimes unfortunately result in murder or attempted murder.

The social nature of crimes such as murder, rape and assault underline the necessity for the community to share responsibility for changing the attitudes and behaviour of perpetrators, as indeed the police alone cannot succeed in stemming socio-economic related crimes. Together we must rebuild the moral fabric of our society. It is not the task of the Government only. It is a collective task - parents, teachers, religious leaders, NGOs, CBOs, welfare institutions, everybody alike.

Commercial crimes have shown a decrease of 12,2% from 2000 to 2001, while the hijacking of trucks and vehicles and robbery of cash in transit and bank robbery have also collectively decreased by 7,8%. The hijacking of trucks and robbery of cash in transit decreased by 23,2% and 50% respectively.

Motor vehicle theft and hijackings at present are mainly highly organised crimes because many different stakeholders, each with their own field of specialisation, are needed to either export, change for use in the RSA or disassemble motor vehicles.

Therefore, I can only reiterate the need for a decisive drive by all law abiding citizens to reject and report the sale of stolen goods.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances and other robbery categories, unfortunately, are still showing increases of 7.6% and 4.5% respectively from 2000 to 2001. All indications are that robberies of cellular telephones are mainly responsible for this and that the possibility exists of a good share of insurance fraud being behind many of these so-called robberies. According to a specific docket analysis in Gauteng the robbery of cell phones accounts for as high as 50% of the total robbery figure in some areas.

Theft has shown an inclination of perpetual increase. The increase may inter alia be attributed to increased reporting experienced in business areas and includes a wide range of items ranging from the theft of e.g. a bulldozer and copper wire worth millions of rands to that of a flower pot, hosepipe or towel costing only a few rands. All the indications are that the bulk of other theft cases involve less expensive items, either stolen from or lost by the victim, which is then reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for insurance claim purposes. Meanwhile, the theft of copper wire and sun panels has become an organised crime of large proportions.

Shocking and unusual crimes such as rapes committed against babies and the murders of high profile persons often receive the highest attention of the media and public, thus swaying the public perception into believing that crime in general is increasing. Unfortunately this state of affairs has a negative impact on the image of South Africa, as well as investor confidence.

South Africa has on various occasions been labelled as the crime capital of the world. It needs to be emphasised from the outset that an international comparison of crime figures and ratios is an extremely difficult and risky venture.

The definitions and reporting systems, as well as the relationship between police and community, often make cross-country statistics impossible to compare. And only half of the countries of the world report their crime statistics to Interpol.

According to a report of the British Home Office, Washington DC had a homicide (murder) rate of nearly 70 per 100 000 of the population in 1997, while the corresponding rate for Pretoria was indicated as 41,12 per 100 000 of the population. Some cities in the Sao Paolo region in Brazil suffered very high homicide (murder) rates during 1999, for example Diadema nearly 150 per 100 000 of the population which is higher than Johannesburg (136,3 during the same year). Property-related crimes such as theft, theft of motor vehicles and breaking and entering per 100 000 of the population are on much higher levels in countries such as Australia and Canada than in South Africa (Interpol statistics for 1999).

A case in point is the perception that business capital's such as Johannesburg and Pretoria are capital cities of crime whereas the truth is that violent crime is more prevalent on the outskirts of the cities in townships such as Alexandra, Klipgat, Soshanguve, Mamelodi, and others. It is of course also an international phenomenon that these types of crime predominantly occur in deprived areas.

The SAPS will continue to implement the NCCS with resolution and give leadership in the fight against crime. In the remaining 18 months of the first stabilisation phase of the NCCS, the successes so far achieved will be consolidated and sustained. This will lay the basis for the next phase aimed at drastically bringing the crime rate down.

Using information about crime trends, we will continue to concentrate on the 145 priority stations. A further 195 stations - generating a further 30% of the country's crime - will get the same treatment. The recent spate of child rapes and molestation requires that all sensible South Africans stand up together and, not only condemn, but also fight this horrible crime. The Government will intensify its efforts to demonstrate that it will not tolerate abuse of children or any other citizens for that matter. In this regard government is preparing for the Summit on the Moral Regeneration of Society next year and will seek the active participation of all sectors of society.

I am convinced that the South African Police Service has crime under control and I want to commend them for the sterling job in making South Africa a safer country for all its citizens.

END.

Enquiries: Assistant Commissioner Joseph Ngobeni, Cell no: 082 800 3672

Issued by the Ministry for Safety and Security, 14 December 2001