Sexual offences have increased in the Kuils River and Kraaifontein police precincts.
The increase in murders, sexual offences and commercial crimes, among others, comes amid community police forum (CPF) warnings about the scant resources afforded to the Brackenfell precinct.
Crime statistics recently released by police minister Bheki Cele indicate a 150% jump in the murder rate from two in the first three months of last year to five murders in this year’s first quarter in Brackenfell.
Sexual offences went up by 22.2%, from nine to 11; common assault up 61.8%, from 34 to 55; and robbery with aggravating circumstances increased by 37.5%, from 16 to 22.
Attempted murders went down 100%, from five to zero; common robberies down 36.4%, from 11 to seven; and assaults with intention to cause grievous bodily harm decreased 30%, from 10 to seven.
While sexual assaults went up from zero to four, rapes were down 12.5%, from eight to seven; and contact sexual offences down 100%, from one to zero.
Malicious damage to property crimes increased 26.7%, from 30 to 38.
Burglaries at non-residential premises dipped 20.7%, from 29 to 23; burglaries at residential premises went down 4.3%, from 70 to 67; thefts of vehicles and motorcycles increased 18.8%, from 16 to 19; and theft out of or from motor vehicles decreased by 35.5%, from 76 to 49.
Commercial crimes shot up 21.1% from 95 to 115; shoplifting by 19.3% from 57 to 68; and general theft decreased from 205 to 178.
Drug-related crimes dropped 30.9%, from 13 to nine, while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs rose 64.3%, from 14 to 23.
Brackenfell CPF chairperson Werner Victor recently told Northern News the station had to make do with a shortage of resources, including boasting only a vehicle apiece for the three police sectors which fall under the precinct. He could not be reached for further comments this week.
Brackenfell Ward 8 DA councillor Marian Nieuwoudt said in general, Brackenfell experiences more social ills as urbanisation spreads.
“The increase of sexual assault is a serious concern and unacceptable. Brackenfell is still one of the safer areas. As crime is out of control generally, it is unrealistic to expect that our community will have no such consequences,” she said.
Meanwhile, while murders in Kuils River went down from 15 to two in an 86.7% decrease, sexual offences saw a 466.7% increase, from three to 17; attempted murders decreased by 38.5%, from 13 to eight; assaults with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm went up 122.2%, from 27 to 60; and common assault increased by 85.9%, from 71 to 132.
Rapes decreased 20%, from 10 to eight.
Robberies with aggravating circumstances increased 12%, from 75 to 66, while common robberies went down 7.9%, from 38 to 35.
Car-jackings increased 125%, from four to nine; robberies at residential premises decreased 41.7%, from 12 to seven; robberies at non-residential premises down 38.5% from 13 to eight.
Arson is up 400% from one to five; and malicious damage to property crimes increased 20.6%, from 63 to 76.
Burglaries at non-residential areas went up 38.5%, from 13 to 18; burglaries at residential areas dipped 38.5%, from 143 to 88; theft of motor vehicles and motorcycles decreased 21.1%, from 19 to 15; while theft out of or from motor vehicles went down 25.3%, from 95 to 71.
General theft shot up 31.1%, from 167 to 219; commercial crimes rose 4.9% from 61 to 64; and shoplifting increased 25.0%, from 48 to 60.
Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Reagan Allen said the crime statistics suggested a contradiction, showing progress in certain crimes and a regress in others, but he noted the overall increase of crime in the province.