Between April and June of this year, South Africa witnessed a troubling rise in crimes against women, with a significant increase in the likelihood of rape, particularly in the Eastern Cape, Free State, and North West provinces.
The latest crime statistics, presented on Friday by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, National Commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola, and other senior SAPS officers, reveal a 0.6% rise in reported rape cases for the first quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year.
The number of reported rapes rose by 57, from 9,252 in the same period last year to 9,309 this year.
The statistics show a mixed trend: rape cases decreased by 101 in April but surged by 138 in May and by 20 in June. The provinces with the highest increases in reported rape cases were:
Gauteng, with an 11-case rise, totaling 1,921 reported incidents.
KwaZulu-Natal, with 1,895 cases after a 0.9% increase of 16 cases.
The Eastern Cape, reporting 1,466 cases despite an eight-case decrease.
In terms of rape rates per 100,000 people, the Eastern Cape had the highest rate at 22.1, followed by the Free State at 20.7, and the North West at 16.3.
Despite these alarming figures, the Western Cape experienced the largest overall increase in reported rape cases for the quarter, with a 35-case jump from 1,002 to 1,037. Mpumalanga followed closely with 32 additional cases, and the Free State saw an increase of 17 cases.
Major-General Thulare Sekhukhune, who presented the statistics, noted that most rapes occurred in the perpetrators’ homes. Of a sample of 7,165 incidents, 4,265 took place in the perpetrator’s residence, 1,766 occurred in public spaces, and 91 were reported at educational institutions. Among these 91 incidents, 74 occurred in schools, with KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Western Cape reporting the highest numbers: 17, 15, and 13 cases, respectively.
Minister Mchunu expressed concern over the safety of educational environments: “We send our children to school to learn and expect these environments to be safe and conducive for learning,” he said. “However, 91 incidents of rape were reported at educational institutions, along with 12 cases of murder.”
In addition to the rise in rape cases, other violent crimes against women and children also increased. The number of women murdered rose by 71 cases, marking a 7.9% increase. Attempted murder of women spiked by 16%, with 227 additional cases reported, while assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) increased by 885 cases, a 6.9% rise.
“During this quarter, 966 women were killed, compared with 895 in the previous quarter. The attempted murder cases for women totaled 1,644, and assaults with GBH climbed to 13,757 from 12,872,” Mchunu added.
