South Africa awaits national crime statistics

Johannesburg - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa is expected to release the national crime statistics on Thursday.

Last year the figures released by Mthethwa showed that the actual murder rate had dropped marginally, with 331 fewer people killed in 2012 compared to 2011.

An analysis done by SAPS research task team head at the time, Mzwandile Petros, showed totals for five of the country's most serious crimes for the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012:

- Murder: 15 609 (previous year 15 940);

- Attempted murder: 14 859 (previous year 15 493);

- Assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm: 192 651 (previous year 198 602);

- Common Assault: 181 670 (previous year 185 891); and

- Sexual offences: 64 514 (previous year 66 196).

Violent crime in provinces had reduced in all but three provinces.

Limpopo, Free State and Western Cape recorded an increase in contact crimes, which include murder, assault, robbery and rape.

The other six provinces contributed to the overall decline in contact crimes by 3.5%.

Gauteng saw an 11% drop in violent crime - the most notable in the country.

Emerging security threats

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) crime and justice programme head Gareth Newham welcomed the reduction in violent crime categories but said the statistics did not reflect some serious emerging security threats facing the country.

These included corruption, public violence, group murders, political assassinations, and domestic violence.

Newham urged Mthethwa to allow the police to provide more regular and detailed information on these crimes. Corruption Watch executive director David Lewis said the statistics did not provide the information necessary to beef up the battle against corruption.

It appeared that the crime statistics categorised much of the reporting of corruption as common fraud.