MBOMBELA – Despite a national decline in sexual offences, rape remains a major concern in the province.
It was revealed that over 700 rape cases were reported in Mpumalanga between October to December, 2024, marking a 1,3% increase from 2023.
This was announced during a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon, where Acting Provincial Commissioner, General Zeph Mkhwanazi released the Crime Statistics for the third quarter.
According to statistics, most of the incidents occurred in residences of the perpetrators and public spaces.
General Mkhwanazi said the increase in rape cases has placed police in a bad position.
“All sexual related offences are a problem to us and it cannot be hidden that we need to claim that space and make sure we deal with it,” he said.
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Community Safety, Security and Liasion MEC, Jackie Macie commended the efforts of law enforcement agencies in reducing crime in most categories, while expressing concerns over the persistence of Sexual Offences.
He highlighted the importance of public awareness in combating Gender-Based-Violence and Femicide (GBVF) emphasizing the need for community collaboration.
