By Neelam Rahim

More than 1,400 people were murdered in Gauteng between January and March this year.

Gauteng police commissioner Elias Mawela has revealed the staggering figure during the community safety portfolio committee’s sitting in Randburg on Tuesday.

Mawela said Gauteng had recorded a 45.2% increase in murders which amounts to 1 403 people killed during this period.

“The analysis of murder cases has shown again the majority of causative factors are arguments, road rage, misunderstandings which are not domestic-related and provocation.”

“During this period, we lost five police offices. One killed while on duty, and four murdered off duty,” he says.

General Mawela also presented the Gauteng crime statistics for the financial year, which ended on March 31, to the provincial legislature sitting at the Randfontein Municipal building today as per IOL.

He said the hijacking of trucks and passenger vehicles had increased in Gauteng compared to the same period last year.

“Trucks and delivery vans are hijacked solemnly to steal their valuable cargo,” says Mawela.

He said some of these hijackings resulted in kidnappings of the drivers and/or passengers. At other times, a hijacking may also lead to rape and murder.

Mawela also said kidnappings were continuing to rise in this province across all districts and that sexual offences have increased by 11.3%and property-related crimes increased by 0.2%.

“Peace, stability, safety and security can be restored should we succeed in our endeavours to reduce these broad categories of crime in Gauteng,” Mawela said.