About this site

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

Crime and violence

South African Police (SAP) statistics indicate 1 781 861 cases of serious crime were reported in 1992 outside the TBVC, of which 53.2% were solved. Details of reported serious crimes in 1992 were as follows:

The incidence of crime increased to 8 500 crimes per 100 000 population in 1992. The SAP blames over 65% of crime on unemployment and deprivation. The number of murders per 100 000 population was 77 with 176 in Natal and 110 in the Soweto/ Witwatersrand area. The rate of armed robbery per 100 000 was 375 and for rape, 116. The SAP say 0.72% of serious crime was committed with a political motive. Of the 16 067 murders in 1992, 2 036 of these (12.67%) were committed with a political motive. Murders of SAP members steadily increased from 71 in 1989 to 224 in 1992.

Source: Annual report of the Commissioner of the South African Police 1992.

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. Return to theThis resource is hosted by the site.