Mthatha’s murder rate spikes

If you are living in the Eastern Cape, you are more likely to get murdered if you stay in Mthatha than in any other town in the province.

This is revealed in the latest crime statistics released by police minister Bheki Cele in Cape Town on Tuesday.

In 2014-15, and again in 201617, the town topped the list in the province where most murders were reported.

Cele revealed that Mthatha was ranked ninth in SA on list of the 30 police stations where most murders were reported.

The latest statistics show that 160 cases of murder were reported in Mthatha, an increase of 26.0% or 33 more cases compared to the same period last year where 127 cases were reported.

In the period between April 2013 and March this year, according to Cele’s report, 541 cases of murder were reported in Mthatha.

In the province, Mthatha is followed closely by Bethelsdorp at 13th spot in the top 30 stations in SA were most murder cases have been reported, KwaZakhele police station at 17th spot, Lusikisiki at 22nd and Ngqeleni at 28th spot.

In the past five years, Bethelsdorp recorded 538 murder cases, 461 in KwaZakhele, 536 in Lusikisiki and 354 in Ngqeleni.

These stats form part of the 3,815 murder cases reported across the Eastern Cape in the 2017-18 financial year.

The latest statistics show 160 cases of murder were reported in the city