A total of 6,289 people were murdered in South Africa in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023, Police Minister Bheki Cele said Tuesday.
It showed a 3.4-percent increase from the level recorded in the same period last year, said Cele while releasing the crimes data reported by the police in the first quarter.
There were 435 truck hijackings in the first three months, down 6.5 percent from the same period last year.
It is concerning that between January and March this year, 969 women were killed, 15,141 women were assaulted, and 118 people were kidnapped for ransom, Cele said, adding that they are deploying new technology to tackle various crimes.
“The improvement of police visibility will remain our strongest arsenal. The police is also purchasing unmanned aerial vehicles or so-called drones to better police from the sky. More drone pilots are also being licensed, and drone pilot interns are being recruited,” he said. Enditem
