ALISTER BULL, Johannesburg | Thursday 12.15pm.
SOUTH Africa on Wednesday revealed its notorious murder rate was on the increase after four years of decline, backing popular impressions that crime is out of control.
The Ministry for Safety and Security issued figures for the three months to February, 1999, which showed murder up to 15,9 per 100000 people from 15,1 in the same period a year earlier. The rate dropped from 17,4 murders per 100000 people in the Christmas holiday season of 1994/95.
The ministry’s monthly release showed that murder and violent crimes like car hijacking and armed robbery are on the rise again. Car hijackings jumped almost 30% to 9,1 per 100000 while housebreaking rose by 8%.
South Africa’s hijacking situation caught the world’s attention last week when the British Broadcasting Corporation aired a documentary showing predominately white policemen beating suspected black car hijackers.
These government statistics revealed South Africa continues to have the highest rape incidence in the world although the figure remained steady at 31,8 people in 100000. Statisticians cautioned that seasonal factors could explain part of the change, but agreed the data was worrying.
Mark Shaw at the Department of Safety and Security said the December-January period was always bad for violent crimes. It coincided with the country’s extended summer holiday – traditionally marked by fighting among migrant workers returning to their rural homes – and higher levels of alcohol abuse.
”One should treat these numbers with a degree of caution. But while they are stable, they are stable at high levels and there have been some worrying increases, like aggravated robbery,” he said. — Reuters