The number of murders has once again increased in the first three months of the year in South Africa which, despite a significant drop in crime, remains one of the most violent countries in the world, South police said on Friday. -african.
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A total of 4,976 people were killed during this period during which the country gradually eased restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, 8.4% more than the previous year, said the Minister of Police Bheki Cele in front of the press. Almost half of these murders (2,378) took place in public places: streets, fields, parks, beaches and abandoned buildings.
The previous quarter, at the end of 2020, homicides had already increased by 6.6%, the minister had already said. However, overall crime fell by 8.5% during this period, including a 4% decrease in rapes, while an average of 110 cases are reported to the police every day. Between January and March, 9,518 people reported being raped, 387 fewer than last year. More than half took place at the home of the victim or alleged rapist, Bheki Cele said.
Home burglaries declined significantly (-20.5%), as did vehicle thefts (-17.2%).
Assaults also fell by 9%, but more than 75,000 cases of assault and battery have been reported to police.
In more than 2,800 cases, "
it was confirmed that the victim, the perpetrator or both had consumed alcohol,
" said the Minister of Police.
South Africa had experienced a respite from the violence during the strictest containment between March and May 2020, linked to the pandemic, which included the ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in public places.