South Africa’s murder rate dropped by nearly 10% in the final three months of 2024, though killings still averaged 75 per day, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu announced on Friday.
Speaking to reporters, Mchunu revealed that 6,953 murders were recorded between October and December, marking a decrease of 757 cases compared to the same period in 2023.
“We have recorded a 9.8% decrease in murder cases, a 3.3% reduction in rape cases,” he said, noting that police figures for the previous two quarters also showed a decline in murders compared to previous years.
Despite this, he acknowledged that the murder rate remained deeply troubling. “We are not denying that the murder rate is very, very concerning,” Mchunu admitted.
South Africa, home to more than 62 million people, has one of the highest murder rates outside of war zones. The 2023/2024 financial year, which runs from April to March, saw a record 27,621 homicides.
The latest data also showed a 2% drop in reported sexual offences, with 14,973 cases recorded. However, incidents of assault increased.
Mchunu attributed the decline in some crimes to “heightened police visibility and strategic operations,” but said more work was needed. “These crime statistics reflect progress, but they also highlight areas requiring urgent intervention,” he said.
Meanwhile, concerns remain over South Africa’s low conviction rates. Figures released in August 2024 revealed that around two in three murders go unsolved due to a lack of evidence or leads.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) blamed this on a shortage of trained detectives, which it linked to inadequate funding.
Reacting to the latest crime figures, the DA acknowledged the declines in murder, common robbery, and assault but warned that “crime remains a normalised ill in South Africa.”
