Crime stats 'reflect violence in SA'
Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko says violence continues to be a feature of the country's social outlook.
Nhleko made the comment while presenting the annual crime statistics for the 2014/2015 financial year to Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police.
He has told Members of Parliament the police have entered into a memorandum of understanding with Statistics South Africa to monitor and analyse collected data.
Nhleko says the crime stats are not just numbers but reflect the current state of society.
He says contact crimes have decreased by 17.8% over a period of ten years.
Nhleko says such crimes need to be addressed at multi-disciplinary levels.
"In the social outlook of this country, there's a standing feature that is there and that's a question of contact crime and dominant in there is the issue of murder, attempted murder as well as issues of assault which in themselves are reflective of the state of our society," he said.
Nhleko says they have also seen an increase in social unrest, putting pressure on police.
"The question of public protests has been on the increase. It is also a matter that should not be seen purely as a policing matter because what do people protest about. They protest about lack of service delivery - or the perceived lack thereof - they may want water and roads," he said.