South Africa Crime Stats Hide Rape Problem

By Alex Crawford, Sky News Special Correspondent

South African police have unveiled crime statistics which lobby groups say are the worst in a decade.

The figures showed increases in some of the crimes that most frighten and upset South Africans.

Murder and attempted murder rates were both up – albeit minimally (0.6% and  6.5%) despite a decline over the past nine years – and car-jacking is up alongside residential robberies (2% and 3.6% respectively).

The statistics prompted criticism from Gareth Newman at the Institute of Security Studies (ISS), who said: "This shows that government's approach to crime is not working.

"After a long period of decreases in serious and violent crime, these are the worst figures we have seen in 10 years."

But the police took a different view, saying the statistics showed that police interventions were having the desired results, although there was still a long way to go to rid South Africa of crime.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa said: "Our journey since apartheid gives us confidence that we will reach a crime-free society.

"However improbable it may sound to the sceptics, success is guaranteed."

Mr Mthethwa also accepted the number of rapes was still too high after a 0.4% decline.

The crime figures were revealed by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa

But the statistics mask the hidden tragedy of the thousands of women whose ordeal goes uninvestigated and unpunished.

Studies by the Medical Research Council found as few as one in 25 raped women reported the attack to police.

As the latest controversial figures were released, Sky News spoke to a rape victim and her attacker in the country branded the world's rape capital by Interpol.

The rapist - an educated man with a family and a good job – spoke frankly about overpowering the woman he was dating, because he felt it was his right.

Sky's Alex Crawford speaks to a rapist about the attack that saw him jailed

He also admitted to having sex with his wife against her will and "reaching that point" with a number of girlfriends - although he was only investigated and convicted over one incident.

His victim told Sky News she feared for her life during the attack, wondering if after he had raped her, she would then be killed to silence her.

She said: "I was so scared. I was so frightened."

"He twisted my arm and the look in his eyes was so frightening. I kept saying 'no, no, no' but he wouldn't listen."

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