PRETORIA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Violent crimes increased in South Africa between Oct. 1 and Dec. 30 of 2020, authorities said Friday.
While releasing the crime statistics for the third quarter of 2020/2021 financial year which runs from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021, South African Police Minister Bheki Cele said at a press conference held in Pretoria Friday that during the three months, murder cases increased by 6.6 percent, with 2,481 people murdered in public spaces including the street, open fields, parking areas, and abandoned buildings, 389 more compared to the corresponding period in the previous financial year.
There was a 5 percent increase in sexual offences, or an increase of 181 cases, with 12,218 people raped between October and December last year.
Aggravated robberies such as carjacking increased by 7 percent.
"The national crime statistics do not paint a good picture and hence force us as the police to dig deep and put the shoulder to the wheel. Commissioner, there must be accountability. It can't be business as usual. We must all have sleepless nights over these crime numbers," said Cele.
The crimes were committed when the country was on lockdown level one and three.
Economists have warned that high crimes have a potential to scare potential investors. Enditem
