Crime stats: The Minister has worked hard to implement new strategies - Criminologist
South Africa’s latest crime stats showed a mixture of progress and grim persistent challenges.
FILE: Police tape at a crime scene. Picture: Thomas Holder/Eyewitness News
Africa Melane speaks with Dr Simon Howell, Criminologist.
Listen below.
The crime statistics for the second quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year saw a 5.1% overall decrease in serious crimes.
This includes a 5.8% decrease in murders and a 3.1% drop in rape cases.
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However, violence against women and children has surged with an 8.6% rise in women being murdered and a 35.7% increase in attempted murder of children.
Howell says it is important not to get distracted by the stats as we are still living in an incredibly dangerous and violent country.
Despite this, he says he is hopeful that this is the beginning of a downward trend coming from changes within the police service under Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
“[The Police Minister] has worked quite hard to implement new strategies and new understandings… I think we need to give him a little bit more time.”
- Dr Simon Howell, Criminologist
“He is open to being held accountable.”
- Dr Simon Howell, Criminologist
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.