South Africa’s rape and attempted rape figures are up 2,7% year-on-year for the financial years 2000/01 and 2001/02, according to Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula.
In reply to questions from New National Party MP Richard Pillay, the minister said there were 52 872 rape or attempted rapes in 2000/01, but this had risen to 54 293 — an average of 148 per day — the following financial year.
With regard to robbery the figures for the respective years were 203 931and 206 941 — or up 1.5% year-on-year.
Murder figures were down, however, by 1,6% from 21 758 to 21 405 — an average of 59 people a day — while housebreaking numbers were also 1,2% lower, from 394 607 to 389 771 cases.
Cases of “other theft” were up 3% from 559 636 to 576 676 while hijacking figures were down 1,5% from 19 478 to 19 179.
Nqakula said analyses would be published in the annual report, which was to be publicly released once he had tabled the annual report in Parliament of the national commissioner of the South African Police Service. No date was provided in the reply. — I-Net Bridge