GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - Murder and attempted murder cases increased across the Garden Route during the first three months of 2026, despite a decline in robberies and stock theft, according to the latest crime statistics released by the police.
Speaking at a crime statistics briefing in George on Wednesday 10 June, the Garden Route District’s police commissioner, Major General Phumzile Cetyana, said the figures highlight both encouraging progress and persistent challenges, particularly gender-based violence, substance abuse and community reluctance to report crime.
Cetyana credited the police members, law enforcement partners, disaster management and emergency services, community policing structures, neighbourhood watches and Community-in-Blue patrollers for their role in crime prevention and bringing offenders to justice.
“Although crime might be down in some categories and increased in others, it still leaves us with many challenges and stumbling blocks to overcome. One of these challenges remains gender-based violence and femicide. We therefore need to continue to eradicate the scourge of sexual offences and intimate partner violence.
Too many violent crimes occur inside residences, signalling the culture of domestic violence and patriarchal attitudes in our communities.
I urge citizens in the Garden Route District to remain vigilant, to report all forms of criminality, and to support local crime-combatting initiatives without embarking on acts of vigilantism,” he said.
In the Garden Route, serious crimes such as murder and attempted murder increased by 10 and 24 cases, respectively, while a decrease of 39 cases was noted in robberies with aggravating circumstances. Stock theft was also down by 12 cases.
Theft-related crimes rose by 225 cases, while fraud cases declined sharply by 327. The decrease in fraud cases was attributed to extensive public awareness projects conducted by the police and the George CPF throughout last year.
The Garden Route Police shared the district's fourth-quarter crime statistics at a briefing on Wednesday 10 June. Photo: Marguerite van Ginkel
The police had arrested 284 juveniles aged between 15 and 17 during the reporting period for offences ranging from shoplifting and common assault to burglary and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The highest numbers of juvenile arrests in the southern Garden Route were recorded at:
• Conville - 25
• Thembalethu -14
• Pacaltsdorp -10
• George - 9.
Some of these cases have already been finalised, while others remain before the courts or are still under investigation.
The police highlighted several operational successes during the quarter. Although 40 murders were reported, the police made 47 arrests in murder investigations. In attempted murder cases, 96 arrests were made in relation to 80 reported incidents.
Additional arrests included:
• 784 for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
• 668 for assault
• 41 for fraud
• 2 993 for crimes detected through police action
• 3 569 for liquor-related offences.
Challenges
A lack of resources (including personnel, vehicles and equipment), reluctance by community members to report crimes, offences resulting from drug and alcohol abuse, and the inability to resolve conflict constructively remain among the major challenges the police face in combatting crime.
Cetyana said the fight against crime cannot be won by the police alone, and urged residents to report criminal activity, support local safety initiatives and reject vigilantism. “We all have a role to play in creating safer communities,” he said.
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