MOORDKRISIS IN SA | MURDER CRISIS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Deur / By Brigadier Fanie Bouwer (Afgetree)

Abstract: South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. This article examines the complex factors contributing to this problem and explores possible solutions to address it. (The full English text of this article follows herein, directly after the Afrikaans text.)

Keywords: South African Murder Statistics, reasons for murder, classification of murder in South Africa places where murder takes place, various types of murder, problems facing the SAPS, Murder & Robbery Units. Poor Law Enforcement and Corruption, availability of fire arms and challenges facing the SAPS.

Inleiding

Suid-Afrika het een van die hoogste moordsyfers ter wêreld. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die komplekse faktore wat bydra tot die probleem en die moontlike oplossings om dit aan te pak.

Moord in Suid-Afrika is inderdaad ’n probleem wat diep gesetel is in sosiale, ekonomiese en historiese faktore.

Die oplossing lê nie net in beter polisiëring nie, maar ook in breër strukturele hervormings om ongelykheid, armoede en georganiseerde misdaad aan te pak.

Alle onnatuurlike sterftes word deur die polisie op hulle stelsels aangeteken, vanwaar die statistieke uitgereik word.

Moord is die opstelike doodmaak van ‘n menslike wese.

Alle gevalle wat aanvanklik as moord geregistreer word, is nie altyd moord nie. Beskuldigdes word in howe ook aan strafbare manslag – die nalatige doodmaak van ‘n menslike wese – skuldig bevind. Ander sake weer word in ‘n geregtelike ondersoek omskep omdat dit ‘n dood was as gevolg van bv. selfverdediging of ander redes. Ek weet nie of die polisie die klagtes op hulle stelsel dan wysig nie sodat dit die korrekte moordsyfer weergee word. Dié syfers sal rgter nie die werklike moordsyfer beduidend verminder nie.

Klassifikasie van Moorde

Ek wil enkeles soorte hier lys.

Baie jare gelede was moorde op eenvoudige maniere gepleeg bv. as gevolg van ‘n oomblik van woede met ‘n mes of ‘n vuurwapen. Daar was ander metodes ook, soos bv. met gif of verwurg. Moorde kom ook voor by kuierplekke en sjebeens waar bakleiery, messtekery en skietery ontstaan as gevolg van drankmisbruik. Dwelmmisbruik stimuleer ook aggressiewe gedrag en wat tot moord aanleiding gee.

Bendeverwante moorde met vuurwapens soos bv. op die Kaapse Vlakte en ander woonbuurtes om die groot stede vind al dekades lank plaas. Bendes in veral die Wes-Kaap beheer waar dwelmhandel, afpersing en vuurwapenhandel ook voorkom. Konflikte tussen bendes in beide swart townships en bruin woongebiede lei dikwels tot bloedige skietgevegte en sluipmoorde.

Plaasmoorde, wat baie emosie uitlok, is ook iets wat al dekades lank voorkom en vir seker nog steeds vorentoe gaan gebeur. Vir die kleinerwordende boeregemeenskap, is hierdie ‘n baie emosionele kwessie en is die gevoel dat die regering dit geensins ernstig opneem nie. Nà die afskaffing van die kommando’s  sou die regering dit vervang  deur ‘spesiale polisie-eenhede’ om die afgesonderde plase waar hulle in vrede woon, te beskerm  Daar het dadels van gekom.

Die modus operandi van meeste van hierdie moorde verskil drasties van die res, in die sin dat dit op ‘n uiters brutale, barbaarse en afskuwelike maniere gepleeg word, wat uiterste vorms van marteling en ook verkragtings ten aanskoue van ‘n eggenoot insluit. Klein kinders word ook partykeer vermoor.

Moorde tydens rooftogte, hetsy van geldwaens of huis- en besigheidswereld.

Sedert 1994 het poste as munisipale raadslede en by provinsiale parlemente baie gesog geword, omdat dit die persoon van armoede na ‘n ‘ryk’ salaristrekker verhef. Die gevolg is dat van hierdie politici dood geskiet word deur ‘n huurmoordenaar sodat iemand anders dan sy plek kan inneem. Hierdie is veral ‘n kopseer in KZN.

In KZN het die gebruik van sluipmoordenaars ‘n verdere dimensie aangeneem in die sin dat mense hulle huur om hul gades, familielede of sakevennote te vermoor.

Mededinging in die politiek en taxibedryf lei gereeld tot sluipmoorde. Die taxibedryf is bekend vir geweld oor winsgewende roetes. Van hulle word ook as huurmoordenaars (‘inkabi’) aangewend.

Suid-Afrika het ’n hoë voorkoms van vrouemoorde (‘femicide’), waar vroue dikwels deur intieme vennote vermoor word.

Geslagsgebaseerde geweld bly ‘n nasionale krisis, veral in huishoudelike omgewings.

Vigilantisme en boendoehowe (“Mob Justice”) het ook baie moorde tot gevolg. Hierdie verwys na situasies waar ‘n skare mense die wet in eie hande neem om iemand te straf sonder ‘n behoorlike regsproses. Die eenvoudige rede hiervoor is dat die gemeenskappe heeltemal vertroue in die polisie verloor het.

In die laaste twee dekades of meer het gevaarlike, gewapende kriminele al hoe meer polisiemanne met outomatiese wapens jaar na jaar dood geskiet.

Volgens die joernalis Nico Strydom van Maroela Media tref moord swart huishoudings die meeste.

Altesame 81% van moorde in Suid-Afrika vind in swart huishoudings plaas, het Rapport onlangs weer berig. Volgens dié berig word die inligting vervat in die Suid-Afrikaanse Instituut vir Rasse-aangeleenthede (Saira) se 2013-opname.

Aangesien 79% persent van Suid-Afrikaanse huishoudings swart is, aldus die jongste sensussyfers, word swart mense proporsioneel harder deur moord getref as ander bevolkingsgroepe.

Volgens Statistieke Suid-Afrika is 79% van die 14,6 miljoen huishoudings in Suid-Afrika swart, 11% wit, 7,3% bruin en 2,3% Indiër.

“Dit kan nie waar wees om te sê dat een rasgroep, veral wittes, meer as ander geteiken word nie,” het Frans Cronje, uitvoerende hoof van Saira, ook aan die koerant gesê. Na my mening is dít ‘n feit wat nié ontken kan word nie.

Geskiedkundige oorsake en historiese invloede.

Geskiedkundiges en navorsers in hulle (akademiese) artikels redeneer dat kolonialisme en apartheid ook ‘n kousale oorsaak is van die huidige situasie. Hulle beweer dat die

strukturele ongelykheid en onderdrukking misdaad en geweld bevorder het, en dat die nalatenskap daarvan steeds sigbaar is.

Dit dan gesê, moet mens ook dan terselfdertyd vra hoekom het die situasie dan in die drie dekades van demokrasie dan so hand uitgeruk het?

Ekonomiese Ongelykheid

Suid-Afrika is tans een van die mees ongelyke samelewings ter wêreld, met wydverspreide armoede en werkloosheid wat misdaad en geweld aanwakker. Die huidige begroting war tans in die parlement aan geskaaf word, dui daarop dat die ekonomie tans in ‘n benarde toestand is.

Informele nedersettings en townships het beperkte hulpbronne en swak polisiëring, wat hulle kwesbaar maak vir misdaad. Die voortdurende migrasie na die dorpe en stede gaan hierdie probleem in die volgende dekades nog meer vererger.

Swak Wetstoepassing en Korrupsie

Baie misdadigers gaan straffeloos tekere weens oneffektiewe polisiëring en ‘n stadige, oneffektiewe regstelsel.

Die bewese korrupsie binne polisiegeledere bemoeilik die stryd teen georganiseerde misdaad.

Beskikbaarheid van Onwettige Vuurwapens

Die maklike verkryging van onwettige wapens – baie vanaf polisielede self – dra by tot rooftogte, bendegeweld en sluipmoorde. Van die vuurwapens word van wettige eienaars gesteel of deur korrupte polisiebeamptes versprei.

Gebiede met hoë Moordsyfers

Inanda (Durban) en Umlazi (Durban) het die hoogste moordsyfers, met bv onderskeidelik 81 en 62 moorde in een kwartaal.

Delft, Gugulethu en Harare (Kaapstad) het ook buite gewoon hoë moordsyfers.

Die provinsies met die hoogste moordsyfers is Wes-Kaap, Oos-Kaap en KwaZulu-Natal.

Werkloosheid in stedelike gebiede dra by tot hoër misdaadvlakke en bende-aktiwiteite.

Speurvermoë en Uitdagings van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD)

Een speurder hanteer soms meer as 100 sake.

Swak forensiese ondersteuning

Agterstande in DNA-toetse bly nog steeds ‘n probleem, soos onlangs nog gerapporteer.

Korrupsie en wanbestuur

Sommige SAPD-lede werk saam met misdaadsindikate.

Lae Moordoplossingsyfer

Minder as 20-30% van moorde word opgelos. In ‘n sekere gebied was ‘n oplossyfer van selfs 12% aangeteken.

Moordstatistieke en Analise

Die moordstatistieke van Suid-Afrika die afgelope 10 jaar sien as volg daaruit:

2014/15 – 17,805

2015/16 – 16,673

2016/17 – 19,016

2017/18 – 20,336

2018/19 – 21,022

2019/20 – 21,335

2020/21 – 19,972

2021/22 – 25 ,181

2022/23 – 27,414

2023/24 – 27,621

Dit gee ‘n totaal van 216 335 moorde oor 10 jaar, met ‘n gemiddeld van 59 per dag.

Met ‘n ontleding van hierdie syfers is daar twee aspekte wat duidelik vir my uitstaan.

1. Die eerste is dat die  jaarsyfer vanaf die boekjaar 2014/15 na die boekjaar 2023/24 – die 10 jaar –  van 17 805 (48 per dag) tot 27 621 per jaar (55.1%) gestyg het. Dit is 75 moorde per dag.

2. Die Julle 2021-onrus ná die arrestasie van oudpresident Jacob Zuma het die  jaarlikse moordsyfer met 26.0%  in een jaar laat styg tot 25 181 per jaar en daarna na 27 494 en 27 621per jaar in  die 9de en 10de jaar onderskeidelik. Die moontlikheid van ‘n korrelasie of verwantskap aan die verwoestende 2021-insident en die moordsyfers in ook die volgende twee boekjare daarna, is tog insiggewend.

Wat Kan Gedoen Word?

Daar is verskeie dinge soos, onder andere, vinniger hofprosesse en strenger strawwe vir ernstige misdade.

Minister Senzo Mchunu het ook nou die dag dat blyk dat moord-en-roof eenhede weer heringestel kan word. Hierdie maatreël is van dringende belang.

As mens histories terug kyk, sal ons onthou dat Suid-Afrika ‘n formidable speurdiens gehad het wat apart van die ander afdelings gestruktureer was.

Tans werk die speurders direk onder die bevel van die plaaslike stasiekommissaris, waar hulle volgens herhalende berigte aan die agterspeen suig met onvoldoende voertuie en ook geen toelae soos hulle eweknieë in die uniformtak nie. Hulle lading dossiere is ook hopeloos te veel en word gebrekkige ondersoeke juis daarom uitgevoer.

Bekwame en goed opgeleide speurders is nou van kritieke belang in Suid -Afrika. Die institusionele geheue wat in die vorige speurdiens bestaan het, het ongelukkig verlore geraak weens die onoordeelkundige herstrukturering wat in die vroeë 2000’s onder leiding van wyle polisiekommissaris Jacki Silebi plaasgevind het.

Ek het onlangs aan politici betrokke by die parlementêre polisiekomitee ‘n verslag ingedien, met ‘n sterk aanbeveling dat ‘n speurafdeling weer apart gestruktureer moet word binne die SAPD om beter en professionele misdaadondersoeke – moorde veral – te bewerkstellig. Die staat is dit verskuldig aan sy uiters kwesbare inwoners.

Die SAPD het ‘n begroting van R108-biljoen. En as hulle die buitgewoon hoë siviele eise teen dié departement drasties kan verminder, is daar geen rede waarom dit nie gedoen kan word nie.

MURDER CRISIS IN SOUTH AFRICA

By Brigadier Fanie Bouwer (Retired)

Introduction

South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world. This article examines the complex factors contributing to this problem and explores possible solutions to address it.

Murder in South Africa is indeed a deeply rooted issue influenced by social, economic, and historical factors. The solution lies not only in improved policing but also in broader structural reforms to tackle inequality, poverty, and organized crime.

All unnatural deaths are recorded by the police in their systems, from which statistics are released.

Murder is the intentional killing of a human being. However, not all cases initially registered as murder are ultimately classified as such. Accused individuals are sometimes found guilty of culpable homicide – the negligent killing of a human being – in courts. Other cases are converted into judicial inquiries (inquest) due to reasons such as self-defence. It is unclear whether the police subsequently adjust their records to reflect the accurate murder rate. Nonetheless, these adjustments are unlikely to significantly reduce the actual murder rate.

Classification of Murders

I would like to list several types here.

Many years ago, murders were committed in simpler ways, such as in moments of anger using a knife or firearm. Other methods included poisoning or strangulation. Murders also occur at social gatherings and shebeens where fights, stabbings, and shootings arise due to alcohol abuse. Drug abuse also stimulates aggressive behaviour, leading to murder.

Gang-related murders involving firearms, especially on the Cape Flats and other urban neighbourhoods around major cities, have been occurring for decades. Gangs, particularly in the Western Cape, are involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and arms dealing. Conflicts between gangs in both black townships and coloured residential areas often result in bloody shootouts and assassinations.

Farm murders, which evoke strong emotions, have also been occurring for decades and are likely to continue. For the shrinking farming community, this is a highly emotional issue, with a perception that the government does not take it seriously. After the disbandment of the commandos, the government promised to replace them with ‘special police units’ to protect the isolated farms where people live peacefully. However, nothing came of it. The modus operandi of most of these murders differs drastically from others, as they are committed in extremely brutal, barbaric, and gruesome manners, involving extreme forms of torture and even rapes in the presence of a spouse. Small children are sometimes also murdered.

Murders during robberies, whether of cash-in-transit vehicles or in residential and business sectors.

Since 1994, positions as municipal councillors and in provincial parliaments have become highly sought after, as they elevate individuals from poverty to ‘wealthy’ salary earners. Consequently, some of these politicians are shot and killed by hired assassins so that someone else can take their place. This is especially problematic in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

In KZN, the use of assassins has taken on another dimension, with individuals hiring them to kill their spouses, family members, or business partners.

Competition in politics and the taxi industry regularly leads to assassinations. The taxi industry is notorious for violence over lucrative routes. Some are also employed as hitmen (‘inkabi’).

South Africa has a high incidence of femicide, where women are often murdered by intimate partners. Gender-based violence remains a national crisis, especially in domestic environments.

Vigilantism and mob justice also result in many murders. This refers to situations where a crowd takes the law into their own hands to punish someone without due legal process. The simple reason for this is that communities have completely lost trust in the police.

In the last two decades or more, dangerous, armed criminals have increasingly shot and killed police officers with automatic rifles year after year.

According to journalist Nico Strydom of Maroela Media, murder affects black households the most.

A total of 81% of murders in South Africa occur in black households, as recently reported by Rapport.

According to the report, this information is contained in the South African Institute of Race Relations (Saira) 2013 survey.

Since 79% of South African households are black, according to the latest census figures, black people are proportionally more affected by murder than other population groups. According to Statistics South Africa, 79% of the 14.6 million households in South Africa are black, 11% white, 7.3% coloured, and 2.3% Indian.

“It cannot be true to say that one racial group, especially whites, is targeted more than others,” said Frans Cronje, CEO of Saira, to the newspaper. In my opinion, this is a fact that cannot be denied.

Historical Causes and Influences

Historians and researchers in their (academic) articles argue that colonialism and apartheid are also causal factors of the current situation. They claim that structural inequality and oppression have promoted crime and violence, and that legacy is still visible.

That said, one must also ask why the situation has escalated so drastically in the three decades of democracy?

Economic Inequality

South Africa is currently one of the most unequal societies in the world, with widespread poverty and unemployment fuelling crime and violence. The current budget being debated in parliament indicates that the economy is currently in a dire state.

Informal settlements and townships have limited resources and poor policing, making them vulnerable to crime. The ongoing migration to towns and cities will exacerbate this problem in the coming decades.

Poor Law Enforcement and Corruption

Many criminals operate with impunity due to ineffective policing and a slow, inefficient judicial system.

Proven corruption within police ranks hampers the fight against organized crime.

Availability of Illegal Firearms

The easy acquisition of illegal weapons—many from police officers themselves – contributes to robberies, gang violence, and assassinations. Some firearms are stolen from legal owners or later distributed by corrupt police officers.

Areas with High Murder Rates

Inanda (Durban) and Umlazi (Durban) have the highest murder rates, with 81 and 62 murders in one quarter, respectively.

Delft, Gugulethu, and Harare (Cape Town) also have exceptionally high murder rates.

The provinces with the highest murder rates are the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

Unemployment in urban areas contributes to higher crime levels and gang activities.

Investigative Capacity and Challenges of the South African Police Service (SAPS)

One detective sometimes handles more than 100 cases.

Poor forensic support

Backlogs in DNA testing remain a problem, as recently reported.

Corruption and mismanagement

Some SAPS members collaborate with crime syndicates.

Detection Rate

Less than 20-30% of murders are solved. In a certain area, a detection rate as low as 12% was recorded.

Murder Statistics and Analysis

The murder statistics of South Africa over the past 10 years are as follows:

2014/15 – 17,805 2015/16 – 16,673 2016/17 – 19,016 2017/18 – 20,336 2018/19 – 21,022 2019/20 – 21,335 2020/21 – 19,972 2021/22 – 25,181 2022/23 – 27,414 2023/24 – 27,621

This totals 216,335 murders over 10 years, with an average of 59 per day.

Upon analysing these figures, two aspects stand out to me:

1. Increase in Annual Murder Rate: Over the past decade, from the 2014/15 to the 2023/24 financial year, the annual number of murders has risen from 17,805 (48 per day) to 27,621, marking a 55.1% increase. This equates to approximately 75 murders per day.

2. Impact of the July 2021 Unrest: The July 2021 unrest, following the arrest of former President Jacob Zuma, led to a 26.0% increase in the annual murder rate, reaching 25,181 that year. In the subsequent ninth and tenth years, the numbers further escalated to 27,494 and 27,621, respectively. This suggests a possible correlation between the 2021 incident and the elevated murder rates in the following two financial years.

What Can Be Done?

Several measures can be considered, including faster court processes and stricter penalties for serious crimes.

Minister Senzo Mchunu recently indicated that murder and robbery units might be reinstated, a measure of urgent importance.

Historically, South Africa had a formidable detective service structured separately from other divisions.

Currently, detectives operate directly under the command of the local station commissioner. According to reports, they often face challenges such as insufficient vehicles and lack allowances similar to their uniformed counterparts. Their caseloads are also overwhelmingly high, leading to inadequate investigations.

Competent and well-trained detectives are now critically important in South Africa. The institutional knowledge that existed in the previous detective service has unfortunately been lost due to the indiscriminate restructuring that took place in the early 2000s under the leadership of the late police commissioner Jackie Selebi.

I recently submitted a report to politicians involved in the parliamentary police committee, strongly recommending that a detective division be restructured separately within the SAPS to facilitate better and more professional crime investigations – especially murders. The state owes this to its extremely vulnerable citizens.

The SAPS has a budget of R108 billion. If they can drastically reduce the extraordinarily high civil claims against the department, there is no reason why this cannot be achieved.