Crime stats: Positive picture, SAIRR says
2011-09-08 18:11
Cape Town - The annual crime statistics released on Thursday indicate a positive overall picture emerging, the SA Institute of Race Relations said.
"Year-on-year most major crime rates expressed per 100 000 of the population are down by between 5% and 10%" deputy CEO Frans Cronje said.
The murder rate, for example, was down by 6.5% year-on-year and more importantly was down by 50% since 1994.
"What must be remembered, however, is that it is still significantly higher than that in most other parts of the world."
Cronje said the types of crime South Africans feared the most remained serious problems for the police.
The net number of house robberies was still 100% higher than in 2003/04, and the net number of business robberies 300% higher than in 2003/04.
By international standards South Africa remained a dangerous society, Cronje said.
"However, the data suggests that progress is slowly being made in securing a safer society. This is most probably due to the joint efforts of the SA Police Service and the private security industry."
The private security industry now had twice as many active personnel as the police, he said.
- SAPA
