The South African Police Service and Stats SA released the 2018/2019 crime stats, which indicate that murder, violent crimes and sexual offences have increased significantly in the past year. The stats cover twenty-one crime categories, seventeen of those categories are reported by the public, and four are as a result of police activity. Over two million crimes were recorded in 2019. In 2019, contact crimes, which include murder, attempted murder and sexual offences, common assault and robbery, increased by two point six percent.
• Dr Chris de Kock, is an independent crime analyst at Crime Facts South Africa
• Nonhlanhla Sibanda is a gender specialist with the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation
