PRETORIA - Murder and violent crimes continue to show a decline in the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
A total of 602 fewer lives were lost in the period under review, which is a decrease of 8.7%.
Over the past two years, murders recorded in the same period dropped by 17,6% translating to 1359 fewer deaths.
On contact crime, there was also a decrease in the third quarter of 6,7% or 12 682 fewer cases reported to the SAPS when compared to the same quarter the previous year.
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This was revealed by the Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia when he released the latest crime statistics on Friday.
He said while the decline pattern is notable, it does not translate into a felt sense of security by individuals, families and communities.
Five provinces including KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Free State and the North West, recorded a double-digit reduction on murder.
But much smaller decreases were recorded in the Western and Eastern Cape, while slight increases were recorded in Limpopo and the Northern Cape.
“Out of the 30 highest murder precincts, decreases were recorded in only 15 of them. The killings relating to gang violence in the Eastern and Western Cape in particular, remain worrisomely high,” he said.
The Acting Minister also raised concern over the killings cops in the country.
According to Cachalia almost 80% of the 23 police officials who lost their lives were off-duty.
He said SAPS will look into these deaths in order to prevent them.