By JN Reporter

Soon-to-be Acting Police Minister, Professor Firoz Cachalia, faces a formidable challenge as he steps into the spotlight to lead South Africa’s embattled police force.

Cachalia, who is set to assume the role of Police Minister in August after retiring from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), was appointed following the suspension of current incumbent Senzo Nchunu by President Cyril Ramaphosa two weeks ago.

Tasked with rebuilding public trust in a law enforcement system long plagued by allegations of corruption, brutality, and inefficiency, Cachalia must navigate entrenched institutional resistance while charting a credible path toward accountability and transparency.

With the stakes high and public confidence low, Cachalia’s leadership will be tested from day one - from how he responds to KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s recent bombshell allegation, to tackling factionalism within police crime intelligence.

Moreover, Cachalia will have to contend with a lack of capacity, poor coordination between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and other anti-corruption agencies, and the persistently high crime rate across the country, among other challenges.

According to the latest national crime statistics for the fourth quarter of 2024/2025, Cachalia further faces the formidable task of maintaining the downward trend in major violent crimes. Notably, murder and aggravated robbery saw significant decreases of 12.2% and 10.4%, respectively.

However, despite the year-on-year decline, the persistently high average of 75 murders per day - along with rising incidents of sexual offences and kidnappings — remains a serious concern.

Nonetheless, the law professor and anti-corruption council chair, says he is committed to serving despite the troubling circumstances and aims to focus on tackling drugs, violent crime, and organised crime.

“So, I think the focus also has to be on the effectiveness of the police in dealing with crime, particularly those that have a strong impact on communities. I am thinking about drugs, for instance, violent crime, and of course, we have a problem of organised crime. So, I am still wrapping my head around what the priorities need to be,” he told the media, adding that he is fully aware of the responsibilities and is up to the task.

An overview of crime stats per province

Gauteng

The latest Gauteng crime statistics, released by provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni in June, show a 10.8% decrease in the murder rate but a 15.8% increase in kidnappings.

“Gauteng faces the challenge of multiple murders,” Mthombeni said. “These incidents contributed 75 dockets with 191 victims to the province’s murder rate. In two separate cases, seven victims were killed at each crime scene.”

He cited arguments and road rage as the leading causes of murder in the province, with most incidents occurring in public spaces or at the residence of the victim or perpetrator. Firearms remain the most used weapons in these killings.

Free State

The Free State presented mixed results, with notable reductions in key crime categories. Murder decreased by 7.2%, with 287 cases reported with the figure coming down from 309 murders.

Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH) fell by 4.8%, from 3 456 to 3,290 cases and aggravated robbery dropped by 10.3%, including carjackings, down by 12% from 150 to 132 cases. Business robberies went down by 9% from 89 to 81 cases.

North West

The North West recorded 230 kidnapping cases, up from 207 in the same quarter last year—an increase that contributed 5% to the national total.

KwaZulu-Natal

Provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi reported that 4 278 people were killed, including four police officers on duty. Additionally, 105 suspected criminals were killed during shootouts with police.

He raised concerns about rising rape cases, organised business robberies, especially cash-in-transit heists and truck hijackings, which are exacerbated by the province’s major port infrastructure handling most of the country’s imports and exports.

Limpopo

The province reported a significant 12.8% decrease in the overall crime rate in the fourth quarter (January–March), according to Provincial Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe.However, she expressed concern about vigilantism, with 27 such incidents reported, contributing to the 179 murders recorded during the period.“Out of the 179 murders, 27 cases are linked to vigilante acts. As a province, we strongly condemn this lawlessness. Violence only deepens wounds, and justice must be pursued lawfully,” Hadebe said.

Mpumalanga

Acting Provincial Commissioner Major-General (Dr.) Zeph Mkhwanazi announced mixed results for the province, with murder decreased by 26.1%, from 274 to 97 cases. Attempted murder dropped by 28.1%, from 282 to 110, while robbery with aggravating circumstances went down from 2 146 to 1 805 cases.

Burglary at residential premises also declined by from 2 809 to 2 348 while vehicle theft decreased from 84 to 77 cases and theft from vehicles dropped from 307 to 281 down 8.5%. The only major crime category to increase was sexual offences, which rose by 14.2% from 899 to 1 027 cases.

Northern Cape

The only province to record an increase in murder, despite the national figure dropping by 12.4% to 5 727 since January. The Northern Cape’s murder rate rose by 23.1%, reaching 112 cases—still a relatively small number but significant in percentage terms.

Western Cape

Between January and March, 1 068 people were killed in the Western Cape, down from 1 112 in the same period last year.

However, there were increases in gender-based violence arson cases. Cape Town’s Delft suburb was identified as one of the top areas for hijackings nationally. Across South Africa, 4 533 hijackings were reported during the quarter - a 15.1% decrease year-on-year. Despite this, an average of over 50 vehicles are still hijacked daily, highlighting the ongoing risk.

Eastern Cape

The province saw a 12% decrease in murders and a just over 2% drop in rape cases.

In total, 38 475 serious community-reported crimes were logged in the quarter - a 2.9% reduction from the same time last year. Most districts showed improvement including the Nelson Mandela Bay, which contributed 23.2% of total cases but saw a 9.9% drop while Buffalo City recorded a slight decrease and OR Tambo district reported a 1.5% increase in serious crimes, as the area continues dealing with disaster recovery challenges.