Alarming increase in sexual offences

GEORGE NEWS - Sexual offences in the greater George have increased, with a shocking 437 cases reported in the last financial year compared to the 347 cases in the 2015/16 period.

More than a third of these cases were reported in the Conville policing area, which ranks under the top 10 police stations in the Western Cape relating to these offences.

Conville experienced a steep increase of 39,4%, from 94 cases last year to 131. Of the 131 reported cases 79 were rape, 43 were sexual assault, seven attempted sexual offences and two contact sexual offences.

George reported 116 sexual offence cases followed by Thembalethu with 106 and Pacaltsdorp with 84.

The latest national crime statistics, which cover the period from April 2016 to March 2017, were released by Police Minister Fikile Mbalula on Tuesday 24 October.

Conville
Although attempted murder cases decreased by 5,9% (from 17 to 16 cases), murders in the area nearly doubled from 11 cases in 2015/16 to 21 in 2016/17. Robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased by 4,5% (from 154 cases to 147) while common robbery increased by 10,7% (84 to 93).

Assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (assault GBH) increased slightly by three more reported cases and common assault by 34.

Drug-related crimes sky-rocketed with 328 reported cases (from 995 last year to 1 323).

Driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs increased by 45,5% (from 110 cases to 160) and the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition also increased slightly.

Other serious crimes like theft, commercial crime and shoplifting increased by 10,9% (from 571 cases to 633).

Property-related crimes that showed a decrease included burglary at non-residential premises with 10,2% (from 167 cases to 150) and theft out of or from a motor vehicle by 13,9% (from 245 to 211). Burglary at residential premises increased by 33,1% (360 to 479).

Thembalethu
The rape figures in this area show a marginal decrease (83 cases from 86), attempted sexual offences decreased by one case and contact sexual offences dropped from 6 to 3 cases. However, sexual assault increased by 112% (from

8 to 17 cases) causing the sexual offences figure to show an overall increase of 1,9% in 2016/17.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances show a dramatic decrease of 35,8% (from 120 cases down to 77). Attempted murder decreased by 12% (18 to 6 cases) and murder remains the same on 27 cases.

Common assault and assault GBH increased by 5,5% (273 to 288) and 6,7% (314 to 335 cases), respectively.

Arson increased by 133,3% (from 6 to 14 cases) and malicious damage to property by 9,2% (from 130 cases to 142). Drug-related crimes increased by 7,9% (from 403 cases to 435), while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs dropped by 25,7% (105 to 78).

Pacaltsdorp
Here most crimes have decreased, except for murder and sexual offences, which increased dramatically.

Murder increased by 83,3% (from 6 cases to 11) and sexual offences show an increase of 44,8% (from 58 cases to 84). Of these, 53 were rape.

Contact crimes that show a decrease include common assault by 17,9% (285 cases to 347), assault GBH by 19,3% (from 150 cases to 121) and common robbery by 18,6% (from 43 cases to 35).

All reported property-related crimes in Pacaltsdorp showed an overall decrease of 13,2% (from 523 cases in the 2015/16 period to 454), a total of 69 fewer cases than the previous year.

Drug-related cases dropped by 5% (from 515 cases to 489), while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased by 38,7% (from 106 cases to 147).

George
George shows an overall drop of 8,9% (1 007 to 917 cases) in reported contact crimes, but sexual offences show a concerning increase of 27,5% (from 91 cases to 116).

The rape figure increased by 37,3% (51 cases to 70) and sexual assault by 45,5% (from 22 cases to 32). Attempted sexual offences show a decrease of 44,4% (from 9 cases to 5).

Murder decreased by 45,5% (11 cases to 6), attempted murder by 46,7% (15 cases to 8), assault GBH by 17,2% (from 186 cases to 154), common assault by 9,1% (549 cases from 499) and robbery with aggravating circumstances by 19,8% (from 106 cases to 85).

Property-related crimes show an alarming increase of 109 (from 1 663 to 1 772). Residential burglaries show a worrying increase of 64 more reported cases than the previous year and theft out of or from a motor vehicle were 70 more.

Drug-related crimes increased by 11,3% (1 011 cases to 1 125), and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased by 6,1% (244 to 259). Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition decreased by 46,2% with six fewer reported cases than in 2015/16.

Southern Cape Police Spokesperson, Captain Malcolm Pojie, confirmed that a local police media briefing regarding the crime statistics will be held next week.