The provincial crime statistics recently released by the South African Police Service for the third quarter of 2023 (from October to December) paints a grim picture of the hard fight against crime on the local front.
In the Western Cape contact crimes, including murder, attempted murder, assault (with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm) and common assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances and common robbery, increased by 5,6% compared to the same period in 2022.
A breakdown in the aforementioned increase is as follows: murder jumped from 1 198 to 1 301 (8,6%), attempted murder spiked from 955 to 1 314 (37,6%), assault GBH increased from 7 160 to 7 335 (2,4%), common assault soared from 11 997 to 12 150 (1,3%), robbery with aggravating circumstances surged from 5 661 to 6 468 (14,3%); and common robbery shot up from 2 662 to 2 941 (10,5%).
Sexual offences, on the other hand, marks a 4,9% drop, having dipped from 2 157 in 2022 to 2 051 to 2023 – with an overall 103 count difference. This greatly due to a 7,7% decrease noted for rape (which declined from 1 518 to 1 401) and a 2,6% dwindle in sexual assault (which reduced from 469 to 457). Attempted sexual offences, however, skyrocketed from 126 to 145, a 15,1% increase.
Carjacking and robbery at residential premises increased by 14% and 7,3%, respectively.
Closer to home, a number of Helderberg police stations, including Lwandle, Somerset West, Strand and Macassar, were listed among the top-30 for crimes committed in the respective precincts from October to December 2023.
Murder
While the number of murders in the metropole increased by 7,9% in comparison to the same period in 2022, Lwandle placed 62nd nationwide and 15th in the province. Altogether 27 incidents were reported at the township police station in 2023. This compared to the 26 cases in 2022.
Sexual offences
Although Lwandle Police Station saw a decrease in sexual offences reported from 37 in 2022 to 33 in 2023, the station yet again came in under the top-30 in the province, placing 15th.
Rape
Across the province, with the exception of the Central Karoo, rape cases decreased by 7,7%. Lwandle Police Station, which apart from having placed 11th among the province’s top-30, is also in the green with a two-count decrease in rape cases opened. Altogether 29 incidents were reported from October to December 2023 compared to the 31 incidents in the same period in 2022.
Sexual assault
Across the province sexual assault cases decreased by 2,6% in 2023. Macassar Police Station placed 21st in the province for these types of offences and 70th in the country. The station marked a three-count increase in incidents reported, with a total of six cases reported between October and December 2023, compared to the three cases opened in the same period in 2022. “These stats were released for the last quarter of 2023,” Marlon Solomons, Macassar Community Policing Forum chairperson, pointed out.
“But we are already at the end of the first quarter of 2024.”
Solomons said apart from the negatives, the report also highlighted the positives.
He added that the newly-established CPF are working alongside police to improve the situation.
Assault GBH
Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (GBH) increased by 2,4%. Lwandle and Macassar Police Stations are both among the top-30 stations in the province, marking a significantly higher number of cases reported. Lwandle placed 12th with a 57,3% increase, and Macassar claiming 27th place with 6,8% decrease.
Common assault
With an overall increase of 1,3% across the province, common assault is also in the red in the Basin. Lwandle Police Station came in 29th among the province’s top-30 stations with an 8,7% increase in incidents reported. Strand Police Station also made the list, placing higher up on the list in the 21st spot with an increase of 31,2%. A staggering 164 cases of common assault was opened at this station from October to December last year (2023). Warrant Officer Nico Beukes, spokesperson for Strand police, said they are combating these crimes by spreading awareness and informing victims they have the right to report these incidents. “Sometimes it is difficult to combat these crimes, as most occur behind closed doors,” he added.
Robbery with aggravating circumstances
The province saw a sharp increase in these types of crimes, with a 14,3% spike in cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances opened between October and December 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. Lwandle Police Station is yet again in 15th place with an increase of 30,2%.
Trio crimes
Trio crimes are a combination of robbery at non-residential premises, at residential premises and carjacking, and there has been a 7,1% increase in these types of crime in the province. Lwandle, Somerset West and Macassar Police Stations are all included among the top- 30. Lwandle is in 11th place with an increase of 33,3%, followed by Somerset West in 23rd place with a shocking increase of 100% (20 cases of trio crime were opened, compared to only 10 in 2022). Macassar is in 28th place, also with a 100% increase, having increased its tally from eight in 2022 to 16 last year.
“Businesses and homes in the area were targeted,” says Sergeant Suzan Jantjies, spokesperson for Somerset West police. “A crime-pattern analysis was compiled, and a dedicated team of crime-prevention officials and detectives were identified to work on the cases. A breakthrough came when three suspects were arrested for a business robbery reported on 5 October 2023 at 15:00.
Robbery of cash in transit
Lwandle Police Station is first in the province and in fourth place countrywide when it comes to robbery of cash in transit. It had an increase of 100%, with one case of robbery of cash in transit opened at the station between October and December last year, compared to zero in 2022.
Kidnapping
Regarding kidnappings, the increase of 11,3% across the province between October and December last year is worrying. Lwandle Police Station is in 12th spot with a four-count increase in kidnappings; seven incidents in 2023, compared to three in 2022.
DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette reached out to Lwandle police for comment on the statistics, but was advised to direct the enquiry to the provincial media office. At the time of going to print on Tuesday morning (12 March), no response was received.
