THE TIDE IS TURNING

This report from the Institute for Security Studies provides a comprehensive analysis of South African crime statistics for the 2003/04 financial year, alongside thematic studies on the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, the 2005 firearms amnesty, and the nature of gang rape in inner-city Johannesburg.

• Official crime statistics for the 2003/04 financial year show a decrease in most serious crimes, including murder, car hijacking, burglary, and farm attacks, although violent crime remains high. In 2003/04, police recorded approximately 20,000 murders, 53,000 rapes, 107,000 aggravated robberies, and 266,000 serious assaults.
• The murder rate in South Africa has decreased steadily over a decade, falling from 67 per 100,000 people in 1994/95 to 43 per 100,000 in 2003/04. This represents a 10% decrease between 2002/03 and 2003/04.
• Aggravated robbery is a concerning national trend, with the rate per 100,000 people reaching 288 in 2003/04, a 31% increase since 1994/95. The increase may be linked to the proliferation of cell phone robberies, as owners require police case numbers to replace stolen or lost sim cards.
• The 2005 firearms amnesty, which ran from 1 January to 30 June, resulted in 59,301 firearms and components being handed in during the first three months. Of these, 21,824 (43%) were illegal, and 28,409 were voluntary hand-ins of licensed weapons. Over one million rounds of ammunition were also collected.
• Implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) is hindered by a lack of specific duties for health sector personnel. While 53% of women experiencing physical domestic abuse seek medical assistance, many health care workers are not trained to document abuse or testify in court, leading to fragmented service delivery.
• Police officers often exhibit a lack of enthusiasm and a sense of futility when responding to domestic violence calls, frequently viewing them as 'petty' if no blood has been spilled. This leads to a tendency to offer advice rather than make arrests, despite the mandates of the DVA.
• Women frequently use informal justice mechanisms—such as street committees, NGOs, and traditional healers—to resolve domestic violence due to the high emotional and financial costs of the formal system. These mechanisms focus on reconciliation and mediation, which many women prefer over the punitive approach of the courts.
• A study of 162 gang rapes reported at six Johannesburg police stations in 1999 found that these crimes are predominantly predatory, often involving strangers and occurring in public spaces. 31% of gang rapes took place in open spaces like parks and parking areas, and 41% of victims were walking at the time of the attack.
• Gang rapes are more likely to involve the use of force and weapons than single-perpetrator rapes. In cases involving three or more perpetrators, 83% reported the use of force, compared to 52% for lone perpetrators. 40% of gang rape cases involved perpetrators armed with guns or knives.

APA

du Plessis, A., & Louw, A. (2005). THE TIDE IS TURNING. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ12Full.pdf

Chicago

du Plessis, Anton, and Antoinette Louw. THE TIDE IS TURNING. Institute for Security Studies, 2005. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ12Full.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=du Plessis |first1=Anton |last2=Louw |first2=Antoinette |title=THE TIDE IS TURNING |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=June 2005 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ12Full.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{duplessis2005tide, author = {du Plessis, Anton and Louw, Antoinette}, title = {{THE TIDE IS TURNING}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2005}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ12Full.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }