Murder statistics decreased in central South Africa in the period between April and December in 2016.
Police Minister Nathi Nhleko and Acting Police Commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane, presented the crime statistics before the Portfolio Committee on Police in parliament on Friday.
The North West province recorded a slight decrease in murders during the first three quarters of the 2016/17 financial year.
The report revealed that North West murders lessened from 686 to 691 compared to the 2015/16 period.
Northern Cape recorded the biggest decrease in murders with 248 recorded murders, a 13.6% drop from the previous year. The province is followed by Limpopo and the Free State with 594 and 714 murders, decreasing by 12.1% and 7.2% respectively.
Murders decreased by 0.1 % countrywide in the first trimester of 2016 and 2017.
#sapsHQ The contact crime of murder has decreased by 0.1% for the 9 month reporting period April-December 2016 SD pic.twitter.com/ILmVLDEZvC
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) March 3, 2017
This is a significant improvement after 578 more murders were recorded between the 2014/15 and 2015/16 periods.
Moeketsi Mogotsi/Courant News
