Latest crime stats shows decline in rape cases

POLOKWANE 

Limpopo has recorded a decrease in rape cases in the second and third quarters of 2024/2025. This is according to the latest provincial crime stats released on Monday, March 3. The provincial commissioner of police, Thembi Hadebe, and the MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Violet Mathye, released the stats in Polokwane.
Hadebe highlighted strides made in dealing with serious and violent crimes in the province. She also gave insight into some of the complex murder, gender based violence and corruption cases the police have solved in recent times, including the recovery of high calibre firearms.
The province has reported a 2.5% increase in murder cases in the second quarter and a decrease of 29.5% in the third quarter. Limpopo has recorded a 13.2% decrease in attempted murder in the second quarter and a slight reduction of 0.1% in the third quarter.

On rape, and gender based violence, Hadebe highlighted that they want to bring it to zero level.
“In our relentless pursuit to eradicate gender-based violence, we have successfully decreased the number of rape cases by 7.3% in the second quarter and by 2.7% in the third quarter,” said Hadebe.

In the second quarter, 1,138 rape cases were recorded, while 908 were recorded in the third quarter.
“Although we saw a 7.3% increase in sexual assault in the second quarter, we are heartened by a 0.8% decrease in the third, reminding us of our collective determination to improve,” added Mathye.
Mathye said a total of 1,170 years of imprisonment and 47 life sentences have been handed down to perpetrators of gender-based violence over these two quarters. Although the province has recorded a decrease in the category of rape, four of its police stations appeared in the top 30 nationally. They are Thohoyandou, Mankweng, Seshego and Maake police stations.