KZN CRIME AT A GLANCE

OVERALL crime figures in KwaZulu-Natal do not accurately reflect the situation in specific communities, because varying dynamics concerning crime and policing often yield starkly contrasting statistics.

The Mercury has analysed Durban’s suburban areas based on the latest crime statistics from police stations in particular precincts.

WESTERN SUBURBS Police stations: Hillcrest, Westville, Pinetown, Bellair, Mariannhill, Malvern.

Murders in these suburbs followed the national downward trend, with Hillcrest seeing the greatest decrease, from 26 in 2010/11 to 14 in 2011/12. Housebreakings and robberies remain a serious problem, with all but one station showing increases in both categories.

Malvern and Westville each saw the number of house burglaries increase by at least 70.

Drug-related crime, which is reliant on police detection for its statistics, generally followed an upward trend.

Hijackings showed slight movement both up and down. However, Pinetown showed a considerable decline, from 184 to 139 incidents.

DURBAN CENTRAL AND SURROUNDS Police stations: Durban Central, Berea, Point, Mayville, Cato Manor, Sydenham.

The incidence of sex crimes was high in these precincts compared with others, although the numbers were down from the previous year.

In total, 898 sex crimes were reported in Durban and surrounding suburbs during 2011/12, down from 1 107 in the previous year.

The Durban Central police station’s precinct contributed the majority of reported sex crimes, 526.

Murder, house robbery and hijacking generally decreased, while Berea and Cato Manor saw more house burglaries – 540 and 395 respectively, compared with 411 and 244 previously.

The incidence of drug-related crimes increased substantially.

The number of hijackings remained virtually the same across the precincts.

NORTHERN SUBURBS Police stations: Durban North, Greenwood Park, Phoenix, Verulam.

Drug-related crime was up in most areas, with a huge increase of 272 incidents in Phoenix.

Murders were down in most policing precincts except Durban North, where the number remained unchanged at four.

House robbery incidents and hijackings decreased in all areas.

There was a steep increase of more than 50 house burglaries in Greenwood Park.

The number of sex crimes decreased in all areas except Durban North, where it remained unchanged.

SOUTHERN SUBURBS Police stations: Isipingo, Montclair, Maydon Wharf, Wentworth, Umbilo, Amanzimtoti, Brighton Beach.

Serious and violent crimes increased in most precincts, with only sex crimes seeing a slight decline, from 505 to 477.

Umbilo, however, saw a significant increase in sex crimes.

Murders increased in all precincts except Isipingo and Wentworth, which recorded small declines.

The Bluff had a noticeable increase in murders, with the figure doubling from seven to 14.

The Bluff, as well as Umbilo and Montclair, also saw a marked increase in drug-related crimes.

House burglaries increased slightly overall, especially in Montclair, Umbilo and Wentworth.

A decrease in burglaries was recorded on the Bluff.

Hijackings increased from 329 to 396, with Amanzimtoti particularly affected with figures jumping from 35 to 90.

NORTH COAST Police stations: Richards Bay, Empangeni, Umhlali, Mtunzini, Tongaat.

Richards Bay saw a dramatic decrease in hijackings from 41 incidents to nine.

Bucking the provincial trend, house burglaries saw decreases in all areas except Empangeni, where there was an increase of more than 100 incidents.

The number of murders also declined in all areas except Richards Bay, where it remained unchanged at 22.

SOUTH COAST: Police stations: Port Shepstone, Margate, Scottburgh, St Faiths, Southport, Port Edward, Hibberdene.

Sex crimes, house burglaries and robberies and drug-related crimes generally increased on the South Coast.

Port Shepstone, in particular, saw a jump from 140 sex crimes the previous year to 190 this year.

Scottburgh also recorded 10 more sex crimes than previously, although Southport and Port Edward saw decreased sex crime figures.

Burglaries increased noticeably across most precincts, with the exception of St Faiths and Southport, where house burglaries dropped.

Thirteen murders were recorded in Port Edward, an improvement from 23 the previous year.

St Faiths recorded almost three times the number of murders from 2010/11.

Hijackings decreased in all precincts except Hibberdene, where the number increased from one to seven.

PIETERMARITZBURG AND THE MIDLANDS Police stations: Prestbury, Townhill, Hilton, Pietermaritzburg, Mountain Rise, Howick, Bergville, Mooi River, Estcourt.

House burglaries increased in four of the five precincts in the region.

Only Prestbury reported a decrease, with a drop from 93 to 89.

Pietermaritzburg’s central police station, which serves the central business district, reported 30 murders, matching the figure of the previous year, and 66 sex crimes, a drop from the 71 reported in 2010/11.

In the Midlands, murder decreased in Mooi River, Estcourt and Bergville, But increased in Howick. Estcourt reported the highest decrease in murders from 31 to 19. In Howick the figure rose from 14 to 26.

Sex-related crimes rose in Bergville and Mooi River but decreased in Estcourt and Howick.

INLAND AND NORTHERN KZN Police stations: Ulundi, Newcastle, Dundee, Ladysmith, Jozini, Kokstad.

Despite a national downward trend, murders were up in Kokstad, Dundee and Jozini.

Sex crimes decreased in all areas except Newcastle and Jozini.

House robberies and hijackings declined in all areas except Ladysmith, where the number of house robberies increased but the number of hijackings was unchanged.

Kokstad registered one hijacking, up from zero in the previous year.

Drug-related crime decreased in all areas except Kokstad, which saw an increase of 20 incidents.