994 Western Cape murders in three months

Nearly 1000 people were murdered in the Western Cape during the first quarter between April and June, newly released crime statistics data shows.

However, the Western Cape government says in areas where LEAP officers are deployed murder cases have gone down.

SAPS data shows a 0.2% increase in murder from April 1 until June 30 in the Western Cape for the period April 1 to June 30, 2022, reports IOL.

Police Minister Bheki Cele released the Q1 crime statistics during a media briefing on Friday.

There was a national increase in murder cases, compared to the same period last year.

The three main causes for murders are: arguments and misunderstandings, retaliations and revenge murders and vigilantism.

Western Cape accounted for 994 murder cases, compared to 992 last year.

Firearms attributed to the death of 2 766 people nationwide - with 498 in the Western Cape.

The Western Cape accounted for 1 115 rape cases during the period April to June.

Nationally there was a decrease of 800 sex crime cases reported.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said on Friday that there’s been 8.2% drop in murder cases in LEAP deployment areas, proving that devolving police powers is working.

“These localised declines in violent crime where we are intervening is proof positive that the model of more policing powers at a provincial and local level is working.

He said in the Top 30 murder stations in the country, every station (bar one in KZN) where murder is coming down is a LEAP deployment area.

He said Mitchells Plain recorded a 42.9% decline in murder, Kraaifontein a 16.4% decline, and Khayelitsha a 14.3% decline, dropping out of the top 10 and at number 16.

He said the province has asked Minister Bheki Cele to empower local Metro Police and law enforcement officers with full crime-fighting and investigation powers, and devolve the management of SAPS to provinces.

“Today’s stats show this should proceed, and the minister should not stand in the way of this happening.”

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