The latest police crime statistics for the first quarter of the 2026-’27 financial year show a mixed picture for Mitchells Plain and Lentegeur, with some crime categories dropping and others rising compared to the same period a year earlier.

The figures, covering April to June, place both stations among the top 30 contributing police stations nationally for several crime categories. Strandfontein did not feature among the top 30 stations for any crime category during the quarter.

Murder and attempted murder

Mitchells Plain recorded 30 murders in the quarter, down from 45 in the same period the previous year. This represents 15 counts fewer. Attempted murder rose slightly, from 46 to 47.

Sexual assault

Sexual assault cases at Mitchells Plain dropped from 13 to 8, a decrease of five counts. Lentegeur also featured among the top 30 stations for sexual assault, recording two counts more than in the previous year, though the individual quarterly figures were not listed in the top 30 table.

Assault and robbery

Common assault at Mitchells Plain rose from 374 to 419 cases, an increase of 45 counts or 12,0%. Common robbery also increased, from 68 to 77, up by nine counts or 13,2%.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances at Mitchells Plain fell from 1 148 to 1 071, down by 77 counts or 6,7%. The broader contact crime category, which includes murder, assault and robbery, dropped from 804 to 777, a decrease of 27 counts or 3,4%.

Property-related crime

Malicious damage to property at Mitchells Plain remained unchanged at 210 cases. Contact-related crime, which includes arson and malicious damage to property, dropped by one count from 213 to 212.

Theft and other serious crime

All theft not mentioned elsewhere at Mitchells Plain fell from 321 to 316, down by five counts or 1,6%. Other serious crime dropped from 517 to 455, a decrease of 62 counts or 12,0%.

The overall 17 community-reported serious crimes category at Mitchells Plain fell from 1 756 to 1 619, down by 137 counts or 7,8%.

Crimes detected through police action

Drug-related crime at Mitchells Plain rose sharply, from 1 344 to 1 588, an increase of 244 counts or 18,2%. Crime detected as a result of police action overall increased from 1 422 to 1 653, up by 231 counts or 16,2%.

Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition at Mitchells Plain dropped from 57 to 43, a decrease of 14 counts.

Lentegeur

Lentegeur featured among the top 30 stations for three crime categories. Shoplifting rose from 41 to 58, an increase of 17 counts or 41,5%. Drug-related crime edged up from 758 to 759, a rise of one count or 0,1%. Crime detected as a result of police action increased from 794 to 797, up by three counts or 0,4%.

Strandfontein

Strandfontein did not feature among the top 30 contributing stations nationally for any of the 21 priority crime categories during the quarter.

Cassiem Gamiet of Lentegeur Community Police Forum said they’d noted the decreases in several crime categories, including murder, armed robbery, assault with grievous bodily harm, hijacking, house robbery and bus robbery. He said drug-related crimes had also dropped tremendously and credited the station for the success. He noted with concern the increase in shoplifting. He said the CPF was happy with the decreases “but it can be improved on”.

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