The Western Cape and KwaZulu Natal are home to some of the country’s most ruthless killers.
South Africa’s latest crime stats were released on Tuesday and they make for grim reading. Several crimes are the highest they have been in a decade – murder being one of them. The country’s murder rate increased by 1.8% in the last financial year with over 19 000 murders in the country.
This number is the highest it has been in ten years and some police stations are struggling more than others. The murder rate decreased in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Limpopo, North West and in the Northern Cape but increased in Gauteng (6.7%), KwaZulu Natal (2.2%), Mpumalanga (11.1%), Western Cape (2.7%).
Yet, despite the Western Cape having one of the lowest increases in murder, it is still home to some of the stations with the highest number of murders. The numbers make for chilling reading – and while some of these “murder hot spots” have shown a decrease in numbers overall, the numbers are chilling.
South Africa’s ten most notorious police stations – where most murders are reported
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 281
Increase or decrease: 0.7% Increase
Province: KwaZulu Natal
Total reported murders: 207
Increase or decrease: 22.5% Increase
Province: KwaZulu Natal
Total reported murders: 187
Increase or decrease: 20.6% Increase
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 183
Increase or decrease: 28% Increase
There was also a 17.9% increase in attempted murders in Delft for the same time period.
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 179
Increase or decrease: 11.2% Increase
Scarily, attempted murder in Khayelitsha also increased by 39.9% with 256 cases reported.
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 174
Increase or decrease: 4.8% Increase
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 150
Increase or decrease: 23% Increase
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 142
Increase or decrease: 6.6% Decrease
Kraaifontein saw a 19.4% rise in attempted murders.
Province: Western Cape
Total reported murders: 136
Increase or decrease: 26.1% Decrease
Province: KwaZulu Natal
Total reported murders: 129
Increase or decrease: 0.8% Increase
Province: KwaZulu Natal
Total reported murders: 129
Increase or decrease: 37.2% Increase