More than 6 900 murders were recorded across all provinces.
The latest crime statistics in South Africa indicate a decline across multiple crime categories, according to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
On Friday, Mchunu released the third quarter crime statistics, covering the period from 1 October to 31 December 2024.
Crime statistics
Speaking during a media briefing in Pretoria, Mchunu said four provinces, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Eastern Cape and Western Cape, continue to be an albatross when it comes to policing and crime fighting.
“They pose quite a challenge. They dominate criminality in the country. These provinces coincide with where our metros are and the density of the population, and therefore, they are our focus,” he said on Friday.
The minister revealed that the 2024/2025 crime statistics showed an overall decrease in several categories of crime, including a 9.8% decrease in murder, a 3.3% reduction in rape, and a 3.2% drop in attempted sexual offences.
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There was also a notable decline in carjackings and robberies at both residential and non-residential premises.
There has been a 4.5% reduction in stock theft.
According to Mchunu, 6 953 murders were recorded.
He said firearms remain the weapon of choice, with 2 886 reported cases where the victims were fatally shot.
Gauteng was the biggest contributor to murder cases with 25%, followed by KZN (21.4), Eastern Cape (18.9) and Eastern Cape (17.4).
Watch the briefing below:
This is a developing story
