Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

3-minute read
08 January 2025 | 15:45 CAT

Criminologist warns of deepening crisis as SA records over 100 rapes daily, highlighting systemic failures in justice and policing despite drop in murder rates. (Image – CSVR)

A disturbing picture of violent crime continues to plague South Africa, despite a marginal decrease in murder and robbery. According to the latest quarterly crime statistics released by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, sexual offences—particularly rape and contact sexual crimes—have surged, prompting renewed concern from experts and civil society alike.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, criminologist Jean Steyn described the situation as “unacceptable,” noting that although murder rates dropped by 12.4%, the country still records “64 murders every day, 119 women raped daily, and 42 children sexually abused each day.”

“South Africa ranks fifth worst globally for overall crime and seventh for organised crime,” Steyn said, referencing the 2025 Global Crime Index. He contrasted South Africa’s numbers with those of China: “With a population of 1.42 billion, China reports 32,000 rapes annually. South Africa, with only 62 million people, reports 42,000—making our rape rate 30 times higher.”

Steyn raised alarm over the criminal justice system’s effectiveness, noting that fewer than 3% of reported cases result in convictions, while 80% of inmates reoffend post-release. “The public’s confidence in law enforcement and judicial institutions is at an all-time low,” he warned.

He further criticised the crime report’s failure to triangulate data with the Victims of Crime Survey and its silence on the growing trend of kidnappings, particularly of business owners. “South Africa is now seen as a global kidnapping hotspot,” he stated. “The lack of intelligence-gathering capacity on the ground speaks volumes about our state’s readiness.”

While hopeful for change, Steyn stressed the need for political will and structural transformation. “Putting uniforms on untrained personnel won’t solve this. The Directorate for Priority Crimes is the right move, but it’s under-resourced. We need more than just cosmetic fixes.”

He also dismissed foreign claims of a “white genocide,” insisting that crime is a national problem affecting all South Africans: “The statistics don’t support these narratives. Crime here is pervasive and not confined to any one group.”

With sexual offences and online crimes on the rise, and public trust eroding, the message is clear: urgent reform is not optional—it’s imperative.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round Up with Moulana Habib Bobat and criminologist Jean Steyn.