Over 1,400 people killed in South Africa’s Gauteng province in 3 months

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) – A total of 1,403 people were killed in South Africa’s Gauteng province, which includes the capital Pretoria and the largest city Johannesburg, from January to March, police said on Tuesday.

“We have recorded a 45.2% increase in murders with 437 more people murdered compared to the same period in 2020/2021,” Gauteng police commissioner Lt. Gen. Elias Mawela said as he presented the quarterly crime statistics.

Mawela said the cause of most murders recorded were due to arguments, misunderstandings (not domestic related), road rage provocations, and mass shootings.

“The crime situation of the period under review is of greatest concern and disappointment for us, the police, Gauteng, and the people of the province,” the police chief said, adding that abuse of alcohol contributed largely to the crimes.

Mawela said sexual offences also increased in Gauteng by 11.3%, with 2,921 offences recorded, of which rape accounted for 2,267.

Hijacking of vehicles for various reasons, including stealing cargo from them or for use in committing crimes or to be smuggled out of the country, also increased.

At least 67 people are murdered every day in South Africa, according to the latest national crime statistics.

In 2020, South Africa reported nearly 10,000 rape cases and more than 6,100 murders between July and September, according to official data.

The number of rape cases stood at 9,556 – an increase of 634, or 7.1%, from the third quarter of 2020 – while murders were up by 1,056, or 20.7%, to 6,163, the country’s crime statistics showed.

“This data proves again that South Africa is a very violent country,” Police Minister Bheki Cele had said.

He called the soaring rape figures “deeply disturbing” and a “disgrace.”