Police Minister general Bheki Cele on Friday stated that the July unrest, which mostly affected the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng provinces, was among the many other factors that contributed to the 20.7% increase in murders in the country.

Cele was presenting the quarterly crime statistics, reflecting on crimes that occurred July and September this year.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded a 44.4% increase in murder cases for that period.

The unrest claimed the lives of 342 people.

“1 744 people were killed during this time in that province [KZN], an increase of 536 more lives lost, compared to the same comparative period. 229 more people were murdered in the Gauteng province between July and September 2021,” said Cele.

Cele said while the July unrest contributed to the murder figures, the Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and the North West recorded double digit increases in murder cases during the same period.

However, Cele said when compared to the 2019/2020 financial year – a period with no lockdown – the murder percentage change would have been a 13.2% increase.

Between July and September this year, 6 163 people were killed in South Africa. This he said is 1 056 more people killed compared to the same period in the previous financial year.

Compared to a period without lockdown, this would have resulted in an increase of 717 deaths, he added,

The Western Cape is the only province to record a decrease in its murder cases. Out of the top 30 murder stations, the Harare, Khayelitsha, Nyanga police stations in the Western Cape, recorded decreases in their murder figures, he explained.

“We remain encouraged by the decreases and attribute them to the resourcing of policing in the Western Cape through more personnel and vehicles deployed at identified hot-spots, especially in the Cape Town Metropole. I repeat, the Western Cape receives the lion’s share of policing resources and funding to bring about peace and stability,” said Cele.

According to police data 1 334 murders occurred at the home of the victim or of the perpetrator. From a sample of 5 176 cases it was determined that a total of 2 424 people were murdered in public places such as streets, open fields, parking areas and abandoned buildings.

He added that 424 murders occurred at taverns, shebeens, nightclubs and bottle stores, stating that liquor outlets are the third most likely place to be killed in South Africa.

A total of 23 SAPS officers were killed during the reporting period.