ActionSA remains deeply concerned that, while aggravated contact crimes between October and December 2024 have shown a slight year-on-year decrease compared to 2023, South Africa remains unsafe, with rampant criminality continuing to go largely unchallenged, as crime trends upward from the previous quarter.
Between October and December of last year, South Africa witnessed a horrifying 6 953 murders, with a staggering 76 lives lost every single day, or more than 3 every hour. The scale of violence, particularly against women and children, remains deeply alarming, as SAPS’s crime statistics revealed that during the October to December 2024 period, 14 973 sexual offences were reported, equating to 163 victims every day, or 1 every 9 minutes.
The Western Cape remains one of the most violent provinces in the country, with the Cape Flats in particular resembling a war zone where communities live under siege. Since 2020, the province’s per capita murder rate has remained at 16 per 100 000 people, the second highest in the country, underscoring the failure of both SAPS and the government to curb gang-related violence, drug-related crime, and organised syndicates.
Residents of areas like Manenberg, Mitchells Plain and Delft continue to bear the brunt of this lawlessness, as police resources remain inadequate, and a lack of political will allows criminals to operate with impunity. Without an actionable and measurable plan in place, citizens should not expect any improvement in living in constant fear and danger.
In line with our commitment to being a constructive opposition, ActionSA has updated our GNU Performance Tracker to reflect the latest crime statistics. We further urge the government to urgently develop a realistic plan to combat crime and underpin the long-overdue Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), which must include a clear and necessary target of halving aggravated contact crimes by 2029, anchored by a zero-tolerance approach as the overarching mandate.
ActionSA Concerned as SAPS Crime Stats Expose Lawlessness Going Unchallenged
ActionSA remains deeply concerned that, while aggravated contact crimes between October and December 2024 have shown a slight year-on-year decrease compared to 2023, South Africa remains unsafe, with rampant criminality continuing to go largely unchallenged, as crime trends upward from the previous quarter.
Between October and December of last year, South Africa witnessed a horrifying 6 953 murders, with a staggering 76 lives lost every single day, or more than 3 every hour. The scale of violence, particularly against women and children, remains deeply alarming, as SAPS’s crime statistics revealed that during the October to December 2024 period, 14 973 sexual offences were reported, equating to 163 victims every day, or 1 every 9 minutes.
The Western Cape remains one of the most violent provinces in the country, with the Cape Flats in particular resembling a war zone where communities live under siege. Since 2020, the province’s per capita murder rate has remained at 16 per 100 000 people, the second highest in the country, underscoring the failure of both SAPS and the government to curb gang-related violence, drug-related crime, and organised syndicates.
Residents of areas like Manenberg, Mitchells Plain and Delft continue to bear the brunt of this lawlessness, as police resources remain inadequate, and a lack of political will allows criminals to operate with impunity. Without an actionable and measurable plan in place, citizens should not expect any improvement in living in constant fear and danger.
In line with our commitment to being a constructive opposition, ActionSA has updated our GNU Performance Tracker to reflect the latest crime statistics. We further urge the government to urgently develop a realistic plan to combat crime and underpin the long-overdue Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP), which must include a clear and necessary target of halving aggravated contact crimes by 2029, anchored by a zero-tolerance approach as the overarching mandate.