The latest crime statistics for the second quarter (July-September 2024) show a marked decrease in serious crimes such as murder, sexual offences and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
The number of murders committed in the Overberg Police District between July and September is down by 10 counts compared to last year in the same period, when it stood at 33 counts of murder.
Sexual crimes also decreased from 80 cases between July and September 2023 to 64 cases in the same period in 2024.
The highest number of murders in the Overberg were recorded at the Grabouw and Hermanus police stations. Six murders were recorded at each of them.
While Grabouw showed a decrease of eight murders compared to the previous year, between July and September, Hermanus showed an increase of one murder.
No murders were recorded at Gansbaai, Genadendal, Napier, Struisbaai or Riviersonderend between July and September 2024. Three murders were recorded in Villiersdorp, two in Caledon, one in Bredasdorp, one in Kleinmond and another in Stanford.
In the category “crimes detected as a result of police action” the Overberg recorded a significant increase of 298 cases, up by 23,4% from the same period last year, when it stood at 1 273 cases. This category includes crimes such as the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and drug-related crimes, where an increase is seen as positive because it is a result of preventative action taken by the police to curb certain crime categories.
Hermanus Police Station made the Top 30 Stations list in this category on the provincial list for crimes detected as a result of police action. Hermanus Police Station is in 16th position provincially while it is 20th on the national list.
It showed an increase of 115 cases or 39,4% between July and September compared to the same period in 2023.
Hermanus police is also in 13th position, both nationally and provincially, on the Top 30 list for drug related crimes with an increase of 46,3% from 257 cases between July and September 2023 to 376 cases during the same period in 2024.
Sharp drop in burglaries
The Overberg District boasts a 18% decrease in burglaries at residential premises. This translates to 110 cases less than between the period of July to September 2023.
Although Hermanus police showed a decrease of 18 burglary cases during July-September 2024 compared to 113 cases the previous year, it still remains the station in the Overberg with the highest number of burglaries at residential premises. Bredasdorp police show the highest drop in burglary cases from 84 in 2023 to 49 cases in 2024.
The district recorded 12 more cases of stock theft compared to the same period in 2023. Genadendal is the station with the highest number of reported cases of stock theft; it increased from zero cases between July and September 2023 to seven cases during the same period in 2024.
Hermanus, Stanford, Kleinmond and Struisbaai have recorded zero stock theft cases for the second quarter of the year for the past five years since 2020.
Crime-fighting partnerships
Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety Anroux Marais have cautiously welcomed the decline in the province’s murder rate for the second quarter of the 2024-’25 financial year.
The latest quarterly crime statistics, which cover the period from July to September 2024, revealed that the Western Cape recorded an 8,7% decrease in murder.
Marais commended all law enforcement officials in the province, as well community-based groups such as neighbourhood watches and community policing forums, who contributed to this decrease in serious and violent crime. “You are the backbone of our safety network,” Marais said. “I am so proud of every one of you.”
Winde added: “I am encouraged by the decrease in the murder rate. But crime levels, especially violent offences, remain intolerably high. My heart breaks for every resident who has fallen victim to crime.
“We must do everything we can to maintain this momentum in beating back this scourge. This includes building up partnerships across our crime-fighting network, further implementing strategies rooted in data and evidence, and adapting our approach to policing through the Memorandum of Understanding we have entered into with national government, the South African Police Service and the City of Cape Town.
“It is only through a coordinated, collaborative approach that we will be able to make our communities safer.”
The Premier stressed that one of the most effective ways to root crime out is to also keep working to boost economic growth and create more jobs.
Marais added: “I remain concerned that our crime levels are still unacceptably high. Now is not the time for complacency.
“We should take heart from the decrease in murder to redouble our efforts to further push down crime.”
