Child murders up 22%

2008-06-30 21:22

Pretoria - Youngsters are increasingly bearing the brunt of violence in South Africa with statistics released on Monday showing a 22.4% jump in the number of children murdered in one year.

The number of those falling victim to attempted murder increased by 13.7% according to police figures for the period March 2007 to April 2008.

Statistics showed overall contact crimes had dropped 6.4%, while murder was at its lowest rate in five years.

However, Safety Minister Charles Nqakula said levels of crime "continue to be unacceptably high" and decreases in rape and indecent assault statistics did not prove the scourge was lessening.

"Children suffer most from cases of indecent assault," he said, adding that social crimes, especially the abuse of girls, remained a major problem.

Child rape abounds

Crimes against children often dominated headlines in South Africa, such as the kidnap and murder in Pretoria of seven-year-old Sheldean Human, and the recent murder of 11-year-old Annestacia Wiese - whose body was discovered in the ceiling of her home - causing outrage in the crime-weary country.

Child rape is also prolific, and stories of toddlers and young children being raped abound.

Rape, which accounts for the highest number of crimes committed against women and children, decreased by 8.8% while cases of indecent assault decreased by 2.1%.

Govt wants 10% decrease

While South Africa's murder rate decreased between April 2007 and March 2008, with 18 487 cases of murder being reported to police, compared to 19 202 in the previous year and 21 533 in 2002/'03.

The government has aimed to decrease contact crime by between 7% and 10% a year since 2004.

"The government would have wanted to see a more-drastic decrease in the levels given," Nqakula said at the presentation of the statistics in Pretoria.

Other crimes on the rise included carjacking and robbery.

- AFP