Northern Cape communities fail to protect the vulnerable in society – women and children – as 18 women and six children were killed in the period January to March this year. This is according to the province’s crime statistics, released on Monday 15 June for the fourth quarter of the 2025-’26 financial year.

However, in her remarks at the release of the statistics, provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Koliswa Otola cited that at the previous sitting during the release of the third quarter crime statistics, it was promised that crime would be reduced.

Otola said the fourth quarter’s statistics showed the work and dedication of men and women in blue, in collaboration with involvement from communities and external stakeholders, managed to reduce crime in some categories in the latest quarter.

Contact crimes were reduced by 416 cases, compared to the same period of the 2024-’25 financial year. Also, no farm related murders, police killings, or incidents of rapes at educational premises for this quarter were reported.

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“We successfully reduced a total of six categories included in contact crimes with the exception of attempted murder which increased. The six categories which decreased in this quarter are murder with 35 fewer cases, sexual offences with 106 fewer cases, assault GBH with 39 fewer cases, common assault with 163 fewer cases, common robbery with 40 fewer cases and robbery with aggravating circumstances with 83 fewer cases.”

Knives are still the most commonly used instrument for murder in the Northern Cape.

Alcohol abuse drives contact crimes

In his presentation of the crime statistics, Brigadier Samuel Mathe, provincial Crime Registrar, said in the latest period police in the Northern Cape intensified their efforts to address alcohol abuse, which is the main driver of contact crimes, having successfully closed 265 illegal liquor outlets in the province.

Statistics indicated that the most likely places where murders occurred were in residences of the perpetrator or victim including other residences known by the victims or perpetrators.

The majority of the top 30 police stations where most crimes were reported are in the Frances Baard District (10 stations), followed by the ZF Mcgawu (8), Pixley ka Seme (5), John Taolo Gaetsewe (4) and Namakwa (3).

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A majority of these police stations indicated decreases, with 13 of the stations in the top 30 indicating an increase in serious crimes.

In attempted murder cases, the following Northern Cape police stations appeared on the national top 30 list:

• Galeshewe (65 cases, an increase of 22.6%);
• Kimberley (48 cases, which is 13 counts higher);
• Kakamas (41, which is 6 counts lower);
• Rosedale (36); and
• Upington (33, which is 5 counts higher).

Sexual offences and domestic violence

Most of the attempted murder cases in the province were caused by arguments, misunderstanding, road rage and provocation; followed by intervention in an argument.

Rape reflected a decrease of 82 fewer cases, with 220 cases compared to the 302 cases reported in the same period last year.

A total of 43 cases of kidnapping were reported, compared to 41 in the previous period.

Galeshewe was the highest reporting station for malicious damage to property with 98 reported cases, and it appears on the national top 30 list as number 30 for this crime category.

Property-related crimes reflected an overall increase, with the Frances Baard District reporting the highest incidents, followed by ZF Mcgawu and John Taolo Gaetsewe.

Property crimes and stock theft

A total number of 6 carjacking cases were reported, which is 6 cases fewer than the same period last year. One truck was hijacked, compared to two in the previous period.

In the reporting period, stock theft units managed to secure 15 convictions and 35 admissions of guilt fines being paid and numerous stolen livestock recovered.

In relation to the theft of non-ferrous metals, the majority of the incidents occurred at municipalities, Transnet and mining sites.

Operation Vala Umgodi continues to dismantle illicit mining activities in Frances Baard and Namakwa. Unpolished diamonds worth thousands were confiscated, mining implements seized, and 140 persons arrested for illicit mining activities.

Commercial crimes increased by 17,8% (from 608 to 716 cases) in all districts except for Namakwa that reflected a decrease in commercial crimes.

Police operations and arrests

A total of 41 unrest and 82 peaceful public incidents resulted in police units having to redirect resources from planned day-to-day crime prevention initiatives to police and monitor the unrest actions.

During the three-month period, police members with various law enforcement partners and community stakeholders intensified operations through tracing of wanted suspects, roadblocks, vehicle checkpoints, stop-and-search actions, high-visibility patrols and compliance inspections, which resulted in the arrest of 4180 persons for various offences.

“These efforts formed part of a broader strategy to prevent and combat priority crimes, address hotspots and strengthen the authority of the State,” Mathe said.