The Portfolio Committee on Police in South Africa has launched an investigation into allegations that crime statistics involving women may be inaccurate. The committee received a briefing from the South African Police Service (SAPS) on the 2026/2027 first-quarter crime statistics, which revealed discrepancies in the reporting of crimes against women and children. SAPS confirmed that problems with its crime statistics on women and children persist, despite being raised in June 2025.
The committee's Chairperson, Ian Cameron, stated that SAPS allegedly omitted separate figures for women and children murdered, subjected to attempted murder, or seriously assaulted. Cameron expressed concern that SAPS management claimed the figures were in the full report, but they were not found. He questioned why Parliament was given an inaccurate answer and why the figures were missing. SAPS's own explanation revealed several faults in the data drawn from police dockets and its Crime Administration System.
The committee warned that unreliable data could undermine public confidence and compromise the police's ability to plan and implement targeted crime-fighting strategies. Cameron emphasized that credible crime statistics are fundamental to effective policing, enabling SAPS to identify trends, allocate resources, and develop appropriate responses. The committee expressed particular concern about discrepancies relating to crimes against women in categories including murder, attempted murder, and rape.
The committee called for improvements in the capabilities of SAPS Technology Management Services (TMS) to ensure that systems used to capture, process, and report crime statistics are fit for purpose and capable of producing credible and standardized data. They also questioned whether marginal reductions recorded in some crime categories should be viewed as meaningful progress when certain police stations continue to experience persistently high levels of particular crimes.
Cameron noted that population size and demographic factors may influence crime levels, but the committee observed that many police stations with high incidences of particular categories of crime have remained largely unchanged. The committee seeks measurable improvements in communities and police stations most affected by serious and violent crime. Cameron will ask SAPS for a firm deadline to complete the rectification process and publish corrected data.
The committee's investigation follows concerns that some offences had been counted more than once, resulting in the women-and-children subset exceeding the total number of victims. Inconsistencies in recording victims' ages, sexes, and linking victims to correct charges were also identified. SAPS must account for the inaccurate information given to Parliament and identify which figures were wrong or withdrawn.
The Portfolio Committee on Police will continue to monitor the rectification process, ensuring that SAPS provides accurate and reliable crime statistics. The committee's efforts aim to enhance public trust and confidence in the police service, ultimately contributing to more effective crime prevention and community safety in South Africa.
Key points
- SAPS faces criticism for inaccurate crime statistics involving women and children.
- The Portfolio Committee on Police investigates discrepancies in crime reporting.
- Inaccurate data may compromise public confidence and effective policing.
