Crime stats reveal another decrease in Western Cape murder rate

Joint statement:
Premier Alan Winde and Provincial Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen

Crime stats reveal another decrease in Western Cape murder rate  

The release of the first quarter crime statistics, April – June 2023 revealed that the Western Cape recorded a 5,5% reduction in the murder rate. This is a consecutive decrease, given that during the 4th quarter of the previous financial year’s the province also recorded a 14,1% reduction for the period. This is a decrease of 55 murders from 994 murders during the first quarter of the 2022/23 financial year to 939.

In addition to this, it also confirmed earlier sentiments that murder in the Law Enforcements Advancement Plan (LEAP) areas decreased by 5.7% from 494 cases in 2022/23 to 466 in 2023/24, when compared with the same period of the previous year.  The areas where LEAP is deployed are Delft, Gugulethu, Harare, Khayelitsha (Site B policing precinct), Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Philippi East, and Samora Machel. Other high crime areas in which they are deployed are Atlantis, Bishop Lavis and Hanover Park, along with Lavender Hill, Steenberg and Grassy Park. These statistics demonstrate that while crime is still conerningly high, the Western Cape Government’s Safety Plan is making a difference, and that the deployment of LEAP officers has an impact in the areas served. 

Decreases in homicides were recorded in the following areas in which LEAP officers are deployed:

• Atlantis (14,3%),
• Delft (1.6%),
• Philippi East (26.1%).
• Kraaifontein (48.2%)
• Philippi (12.5%),
• Nyanga (4%) and
• Samora Machel (57.1%).

Increases in homicides were recorded in the following areas in which LEAP officers are deployed:

• Bishop Lavis (25%),
• Gugulethu (37.2%)
• Mitchells Plain (15%),
• Khayelitsha (11.9%),
• Harare (16%) and
• Mfuleni (10%).

Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde said: “The latest figures are encouraging. They reflect the hard work our women and men in blue are doing to further beat back crime, putting themselves at risk. I applaud our crime-fighting community for everything they do. You are making a big difference. But fighting crime is complex and we are demonstrating that by utilising data, evidence, and technology, we can make inroads, despite the odds. We, however, still have a very long way to go. Our job is far from done and we must continue with this momentum, using the Western Cape Safety Plan as our guide, in using the resources that we have we must keep battling crime. Keeping residents safe means offering them dignity.”

Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen said: “I note the consecutive decrease that we achieved. This is commendable and I applaud our police and LEAP officers for the continued manner in which they are working to create safer communities. Having recently lost two dedicated LEAP officers and being informed that Officer Janine Africa was injured during a shootout with alleged gangsters in the Ravensmead area, is a stark reminder of the continued and hard work that is ahead of us. I wish Officer Africa a speedy recovery. LEAP is making a difference, and I assure our residents that we will continue investing in our officers so that further reductions can be achieved.”

Minister Reagen Allen added: “I am deeply concerned about the continued increases that we are experiencing in Mitchells Plain and Gugulethu, and now in Khayelitsha and Harare. As LEAP is data-led and evidence based, we will utilise the information that is at our disposal to ensure these concerns are addressed.”

Gangs related murders remain an ongoing concern thorn in the Western Cape Government, with 166 of the 193 gang related murders nationally occurring in this province.

“The recent violence during the taxi strike and protests are also alarming, particularly since it included the loss of life. Protest action should never lead to the loss of life, and we remain determined to see the murder rate decrease by 50% by 2029. We have to pull together to combat murder and all other crimes, as we all have a role to play, regardless of where it might be occurring,” concluded Minister Allen.