Despite this, the murder per capita rate remained high in coastal provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
The stats showed that 17.6 people per 100,000 were murdered in the Eastern Cape. The figures for the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal were 15.3 and 12.3, respectively.
The Eastern Cape saw a 2.6% increase in murders, reported, from 1,139 to 1,169 — an increase of 30 cases.
One of the most common causes for murders was arguments and misunderstandings, said Sekhukhune.
The Eastern Cape led with murders due to arguments and misunderstandings, recording 254 cases. It was followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 215 and the Western Cape with 210 cases.
Mchunu provided details of a mass shooting in the Eastern Cape reported to the Willowvale police station in May.
“Occupants of a vehicle, five males including a child and one female, were shot dead in a Mazda 3 vehicle. These are indeed disturbing incidents which we need to ensure do not happen again.
“When we look at the causative factors for cases with five and more counts, a murder was reported in Ezakheni police station, in KZN, where 12 people were travelling in a bakkie when another vehicle approached and its occupants opened fire at the bakkie. Six succumbed to their injuries, four were injured and taken to hospital and two were unharmed,” said Mchunu.
While 210 murders in the Western Cape were due to altercations, a higher number — 234 — were a result of gang-related killings. The province also experienced the highest number of murders — 172 — due to revenge and punishment.
A total of 694 murders in the province occurred in open places. While firearms were the most used method of committing a murder, the Western Cape was second to KwaZulu-Natal with 655 murders committed through the use of a firearm, with KwaZulu-Natal recording 746 murders committed by firearm.
Rorisang Kgosana
www.timeslive.co.za
