Durban — While the father of slain Enhle Majola did not want his daughter’s murder to be nothing but a statistic, the 18-year-old would make up part of the country’s quarterly crime statistics eventually.
On Wednesday, Minister of Police Bheki Cele will present the stats reflecting on crimes reported to the SAPS from July 1 to September 30, 2022.
The previous stats revealed that attacks on women and children recorded major increases in the first three months of this year.
The numbers showed that 855 women and 243 children were murdered (an increase of 53.2% and 46.4% respectively); 11 734 cases of assault with grievous bodily harm were reported against women and 1 670 cases against children (an increase of 54.7% and 58.4% respectively); and 282 reported cases of attempted murder against women and 61 cases against children (an increase of 31.4% and 27.5% respectively).
Majola and Sthembile Ngobese were shot and killed in October allegedly by their boyfriend Mlungisi Blessing Sikhakhane, who is a Hillcrest SAPS member.
Majola had been in a relationship with Sikhakhane for less than five months and had broken it off before she was killed. Ngobese was Sikhakhane’s High School sweetheart.
“My daughter is an advocate for this (GBV) now, she’s gone up (to heaven) and has become a reference point. I’m not going to call her a statistic. What has happened here should be a call out,” Oscar Sandile Msomi had said outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court in October of his daughter’s murder.
Sikhakhane was expected back in court on December 14.
The previous crime stats also showed an overall 22.2% increase in murder compared with the corresponding period last year.
Siphamandla Hadebe, who was allegedly gunned down in broad daylight in full view of about 18 people in Wyebank just five days after being granted R8 000 bail, would make up part of the murder statistics released on Wednesday.
Releasing the previous stats, Cele had narrowed down the causes of murder to arguments, vigilantism, revenge or retaliation, and robberies.
Numbers also showed that a total of 2 268 people were murdered in public places, such as in open fields, streets, parking areas and abandoned buildings.
Hadebe was charged with possession of a firearm without a licence as well as ammunition and was suspected to be linked to the mass shooting in Savannah Park where seven people died earlier this year.
Two men charged with the murder who are out on R20 000 bail are due to appear again in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
Daily News