South Africa’s Crime Surge: Violence Against Women and Children, Farm Murders Remain a Major Concern

The FF Plus, a political party in South Africa, expressed deep concern over the alarming increase in violence against women and children, along with farm murders, despite a slight overall drop in crime. The party cited the latest police statistics for the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, revealing significant increases in crimes against women and children. Specifically, femicide, attempted femicide, and aggravated assault against women all saw notable rises compared to the previous year. Similarly, murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault against children also showed concerning increases. The FF Plus highlighted the alarming nature of these figures, particularly in light of numerous awareness campaigns aimed at protecting women and children. They criticized the lack of impact from government initiatives like the 16 days of activism against violence against women and children, calling for a reassessment of strategies to combat this social issue. Furthermore, the FF Plus expressed serious concern over the rise in farm murders, with nine reported cases in the first quarter. They reiterated their longstanding call for farm attacks and murders to be declared priority crimes. While acknowledging the overall crime decrease, the FF Plus emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of crime, linking it to economic factors like unemployment and poverty. They welcomed the early signs of an economic upswing under the new government of national unity as a potential positive step in mitigating crime.