Crime and Security

The Crime and Security chapter of the South Africa Survey provides the most detailed and complete overview of crime and safety trends ever published on South Africa. National crime trends are published as rates and actual numbers from 1994/5 to the present. Crime trends are then broken down into property crimes, contact crimes, serious crimes, and crimes heavily dependent on police detection to show both 16 year trends and one year trends. A special section is devoted to aggravated robbery and the various types of aggravated robbery and individually assessed. Further special sections are devoted to crimes on farms, crimes against foreign nationals, witch killings, violence during strike action, youths and crime, and taxi violence. All major crime categories are then broken down over time for every province since 1994/5 and since 2008/09 for all major municipal areas in the country. Data is then provided for causes of death, manner of violent deaths, and the top ten causes of non-natural deaths in the country. Trends are given for crime reporting by victims between 1998 and 2007. Trends are also given for perceptions of crime and the changes in those perceptions over time. The chapter then provides limited international crime and corruption comparisons for South Africa. Thirteen pages are provided reviewing the performance of the South African Police Force including personnel, fatalities, escapes, deaths in custody, and crimes committed by the police. Trends are published on cases and prosecutions handled by the criminal justice system between 2003/4 and 2007/08. Data is recorded for the judiciary and the bar including the number of judges, magistrates, and members of the bar by race and sex, the remuneration of judges, and international comparisons on how our judiciary measures up to that of the rest of the world. The chapter then moves on to a detailed review of the prisons service and of prisoners in the country by race and age and sex and province and crime category and duration of sentence and sentenced/unsentenced status. International prisons trends are then provided. The Department of Defence is assessed in similar detail including a review of command structures by race and sex and an assessment of foreign deployments. Finally, the chapter concludes with a review of the size and scope of the private security industry in the country.

CRIME AND SECURITY

THE SECURITY PICTURE
South African security at a glance

STATISTICS AND TRENDS
National crime trends
National crime figures, 1994/95 and 2009/10 (actual numbers)
National crime figures, 1994/95 and 2009/10 (rates per 100 000 people)
Sixteen-year and one-year crime trends
Contact crime: actual reported cases and rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Contact crime rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Property-related crime: actual reported cases and rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Property-related crime rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Crimes heavily dependent on police action for detection: actual reported cases and rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Crimes heavily dependent on police action for detection: rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Other serious crime: actual reported cases and rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Other serious crime rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Arson, malicious damage, and total serious crime: actual reported cases and rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Total serious crime rate per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Aggravated robbery
Breakdown of aggravated robbery, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in aggravated robbery cases, initial recorded period – 2009/10
Subcategories of aggravated robbery
Residential and business robberies as proportions of total aggravated robberies, 2002/03–2009/10
Particular categories of crime
Crime on farms
Reported cases of stock theft and rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Stock theft rates per 100 000 of the population, 1994/95–2009/10
Farm attacks by province, 1993–2009
The statistics
Breakdown of victims by race
Farm murders by province, 1993–2009
Farm attacks and murders, 1993–2009
Number of farm attacks and murders by province, 1993–2009
Murders as a proportion of all farm attacks by province, 1993–2009
Crimes against foreign nationals
Background on foreign nationals in South Africa
Background on attacks on foreign nationals
Attitudes to foreign nationals
Proportion of SAPS members by race on whether foreigners in general (whether documented or not) caused a lot of crime in Johannesburg, 2006
Proportion of SAPS members by race on whether most of the illegal/undocumented immigrants in Johannesburg are involved in crime, 2006
South African attitudes to immigration, 1995–2006: Proportion of people who believe in the statement quoted
South African attitudes to enforcement policies, 2006
Perceived impact of migrants, 1999 and 2006
Proportion of locals who viewed foreign nationals favourably by their country of origin, 2006
Stated reasons for xenophobic attacks
Statistics on the xenophobic attacks that started in May 2008
Chronology of the May 2008 attacks
Victims of May 2008 attacks by nationality
Witch and muti killings
Muti killings: a definition
Historical overview: 1994 — the present
The Mozambican connection
Crimes against children under the age of 18
Reported crimes committed against children under the age of 18, 2002/03–2009/10
Change in reported crimes committed against children under the age of 18, 2002/03–2009/10
Initiation school killings
Attacks during strikes
1999–2006
2006–2010
Taxi violence
A brief background
Problems
Regulation
Strikes and unroadworthy vehicles
Taxi recapitalisation
Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT)
Provincial crime
Murder
Murder, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in murder rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Attempted murder
Attempted murder, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in attempted murder rate, 1994/95–2009/10
All sexual offences
All sexual offences, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in the rate of all sexual offences, 1994/95–2009/10
Robbery with aggravating circumstances
Robbery with aggravating circumstances, 1994/95– 2009/10
Change in aggravated robbery rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (GBH)
Assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in rate of assault (GBH), 1994/95–2009/10
Burglary at residential premises
Burglary at residential premises, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in residential burglary rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Burglary at business premises
Burglary at business premises, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in business burglary rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Stock theft
Stock theft, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in stock theft rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Theft of motor vehicles
Theft of motor vehicles, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in motor vehicle theft rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Commercial crimes
Commercial crimes, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in commercial crime rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Drug-related crime
Drug-related crime, 1994/95–2009/10
Change in drug-related crime rate, 1994/95–2009/10
Municipal crime
Selected crime rates by municipality, 2008/09
Causes of death
Overall manner of non-natural death by cause of death, 2007
Manner of non-natural death by sex, 2007 (actual numbers)
Manner of non-natural death by sex, 2007 (proportions)
Number and proportions of non-natural deaths by age, 2007
Top ten external causes of non-natural death, 2007
Manner of violent deaths for the four main cities in South Africa, 2007
Violent and firearm violence deaths: rates per 100 000 people, 2007
Crime reporting
Proportion of respondents who reported their experience of crime to the police, 1998, 2003 and 2007
Perceptions of crime
Perceptions of changes in levels of crime over four years by race, 2007
Perceptions of changes in levels of crime over four years by province, 2007
Youth and crime
Youth offenders, perceptions of crime and violence, and personal knowledge of criminals, selected provinces, 2006
Breakdown of youth offenders by age, 2006
Breakdown of youth offenders by type of crime incarcerated for, 2006
Offender and non-offender interaction with biological parents, 2006
Disciplinary methods used by offender and non-offender parents, 2006
Victimisation of youth at schools, 2006
Youth knowledge of crimes committed by community members who make a living from crime, 2006
Proportion of respondents whose family members were involved in criminal acts by race, 2008
International crime trends
International murder rates per 100 000 people, 2003 and 2008
Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for various countries, 2001 and 2009
Crime trends and anti-crime expenditure
Crime numbers, rates, and expenditure on protection services, 1994/95–2008/09
Crime and public spending, 1998/99–2008/09

POLICE
Personnel
Number of personnel in the SAPS by sex and race, March 2010
SAPS personnel by race, March 2010
Change in police ranks, April 2010
Number of SAPS personnel by rank and race, March 2010
SAPS expenditure on personnel by programme, March 2009
SAPS personnel by programme, 2009
Ratio of the population to police officers by province, December 2007 and January 2010
Affirmative action in the SAPS, March 2010 actual employment and 2010 employment equity targets (proportions)
SAPS personnel by sex, March 2010 actual employment and 2010 employment equity targets (proportions)
Population to police ratios, selected countries
Commando units and police reservists
Number of police reservists, 2004/05–2008/09
Personnel shortages
Employment and vacancies by programme, 2003/04 and 2008/09
Change in number of posts and vacancies by programme, 2003/04–2008/09
Employment and vacancies by skills level, 2003/04 and 2008/09
Change in number of posts and vacancies by skills level, 2003/04–2008/09
Fatalities and escapes
Number of police officers murdered, 1983/84–2009/10
Murders of police officials, 2004/05–2009/10
Number of escapes and escapees from police custody, 2001/02–2009/10
Deaths in police custody and as a result of police action
Deaths in police custody, 2003/04–2009/10
Deaths of persons as a result of police action, 2003/04 – 2009/10
Change in deaths of persons as a result of police action, 2003/04–2009/10 and 2008/09–2009/10
Crimes, corruption, and (mis)conduct in the SAPS
Lost/stolen SAPS firearms and case dockets, 2001/02– 2008/09
Lost/stolen SAPS firearms, 2001/02–2008/09
Lost/stolen case dockets, 2003/04–2008/09
Charges laid against SAPS members and proportions of total by crime category, 2007/08 and 2008/09
Charges laid against SAPS members, charges successfully prosecuted, and proportion of charges ending in onvictions, 2008/09

PROSECUTIONS AND CONVICTIONS
Criminal Justice System review
Statistics
Cases reported, prosecutions, and convictions as a proportion of all cases handled, 2003/04–2007/08
Process of referring charges to court by crime cluster, 2007/08

THE BENCH AND THE BAR
The Bench
Race and/or sex breakdowns
Judges of the superior courts by race, 2005 and 2008
Magistrates by race, 2008
Judges and magistrates by sex, 2008
Judges and magistrates by race, 2008
Remuneration
Remuneration of members of the Judiciary, 2007 and 2008
International comparisons
Experience of top judges
Appeals heard in top courts, 2005–08
Average time taken to hand out judgements, 2005–08
The Judicial Service Commission
Composition of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC)
Administration of the courts
New policy regarding administration of the courts
The Bar
Members of the Bar by race and sex, April 2008
Members of the Bar by race, April 2008
PRISONS AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
Personnel
Correctional Services personnel by race, 2008/09
Prisons
General statistics
Prison population by sex and race, December 2009 (actual numbers)
Prison population by sex and race, December 2009 (proportions)
Prison population by crime category, December 2009
Prison population by age, December 2009
Daily average prison population by province, 2008
Daily average prison population by sex, 1995/96–December 2009
Daily average prison population, 1995/96–December 2009
Awaiting-trial detainees
Sentenced prisoners and awaiting-trial detainees, 1995–2009
Awaiting-trial detainees longer than three months in custody, 1996–2005
Children and juveniles
Awaiting-trial detainees and those under the age of 18, 1995–2009
Prisoners under the age of 18 by crime category, December 2009
Prison overcrowding
Prison overcrowding, March 1996–October 2009
Duration of sentences
Duration of sentences, March 1995–January 2010 (numbers and proportions)
Duration of sentences, 1995 and 2010
Duration of sentences: change in proportions, 1995–2010
Duration of sentences, 1995–2009
Deaths and medical releases of prisoners
Natural and unnatural deaths of prisoners, and medical releases, 1996–2008
Prisoner escapes
Number of prisoner escapes, 1977/78–2007/08
International prison trends
International prison statistics, December 2008

DEFENCE
Personnel
Overall statistics
Department of Defence personnel by race and sex, March 2009
Employment and vacancies by programme as at March 2009
Command structures by race and rank, April 2007
Command structures by sex and rank, April 2007
Department of Defence by arm of service, May 2010
Affirmative action in the South African National Defence Force
Department of Defence employment equity targets measured against March 2009 employment
Deployment outside South Africa
Deployment of military personnel outside South Africa, 2000–08
International comparisons
Military expenditure and armed forces personnel, 2007

PRIVATE SECURITY
Change in the number of security businesses, security officers, and sworn SAPS officials, 1997–2009
Number of active security officers and sworn police officials, 1997–2009
Registered security businesses by sector, 2005–07