8th September 2011

 Good news – the cops are winning

The crimes that South Africans fear the most are down. This is according to the latest crime statistics released by the police on Thursday, which show that there were fewer murders last year than any other year since the advent of democracy.

And aggravated robberies – including home invasions – are down, too.

“For the first time in the history of the SAPS (which came into being in 1995), the murder figure fell below the 16 000 mark,” said police management this morning.

“In 1995/96 a total of 26 887 murders were recorded, while in 2010/11 the figure decreased to 15 940 murders.

“That represents a 40.7 percent decrease (which translates into a ratio decrease of 53.2 percent), while South Africa’s population increased by at least 28.0 percent (excluding the influx of undocumented immigrants).

“This means that murder decreased by 50 percent in the face of rapid population growth and massive urbanisation, both also stimulated by the additional influx of undocumented immigrants.”