Murders and rapes increased, says Bheki Cele

Cape Town - Police Minister Bheki Cele warned of rising crime in the country when he presented crime statistics in Parliament on Friday which showed an increase in murders and rape of women and children.

Cele was presenting the annual statistics for the 2019/20 financial year.

In his presentation, head of the crime register Lt-Gen. Norman Sekhukhune told MPs the murder rate had increased in the last financial year to 21 325.

“Murder in the current financial year we recorded 21 325, that is an increase of 33 bodies more than in the previous financial year. That is an increase of 1.4%,” said Sekhukhune.

He also said sexual offences had increased from 52 220 to 53 293. This was an increase of 873 more sexual offences than in the previous financial year and this was a 1.7% increase.

Sekhukhune said the rape of women increased from 41 583 to 42 289.

Political Bureau

• Crime Stats: No good news expected