The Portfolio Committee on Police in South Africa is investigating allegations that crime statistics involving women and children are 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 the matter being raised in June 2025.
The committee's chairperson, Ian Cameron, expressed concern over the omission of separate figures for women and children murdered, subjected to attempted murder, or seriously assaulted. Cameron stated that SAPS management claimed the figures were in the full report, but they were not found. He also noted that adding up the quarterly figures did not produce the annual totals, and some offences had been counted more than once.
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 many police stations with high incidences of particular categories of crime have remained largely unchanged. He emphasized the need for measurable improvements in communities and police stations most affected by serious and violent crime. The committee will ask SAPS for a firm deadline to complete the rectification process and publish corrected data.
The Portfolio Committee on Police is taking steps to address the issue, with Cameron requesting SAPS to identify which figures were wrong or withdrawn, publish the corrected data, and account for the inaccurate information given to Parliament. The committee's efforts aim to ensure that SAPS provides accurate and reliable crime statistics, which are essential for effective policing and crime prevention.
The issue of inaccurate crime statistics comes amid concerns about high levels of crime in South Africa, particularly against women and children. The committee's investigation and calls for improvement highlight the need for SAPS to enhance its data collection and reporting capabilities to support informed decision-making and effective crime-fighting strategies.
Key points
- SAPS faces scrutiny over allegedly inaccurate crime statistics involving women and children.
- The Portfolio Committee on Police is investigating discrepancies in crime statistics and calling for improvements in SAPS' data collection and reporting capabilities.
- Inaccurate data could undermine public confidence and compromise the police's ability to plan and implement targeted crime-fighting strategies.
