According to the 2018/19 crime statistics released earlier today by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, the province recorded a total of 48 cases of illegal mining as a causative factor of murders reported.

Addressing Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, Cele has indicated that murder cases in South Africa, with a total number of 21 022, have overall increased by 3.4%. The committee also heard that about 60% of murders happened over weekends, with drug and alcohol intake playing a major role. While Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal recorded that highest murder rates, the Free State recorded the highest number of murders caused by illegal mining.

OFM News