There were higher levels of violence in society, Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko said on Friday.

"If you look at the five or 10 year trends combined with the year under review, contact crime is a permanent feature," he said.

Crimes including murder and attempted murder were increasing, he said in introductory remarks at the release of this year's crime statistics.

Nhleko said in the past five years there had been an increase in social unrest.

"It also suggests that there has to be a broader solution found," he said.

"We observe there are higher levels of violence in our society."

Nhleko said cultural violence and aggression should be eradicated.

Alcohol abuse is still a problem in the country.

"The prevalence of drugs and alcohol abuse in our community is extremely concerning," he said.

"They tend to a production point for criminal activity."

In the year under review, there was a decrease in various crimes including commercial crime, stock theft, sexual offences, shoplifting, theft of motor vehicles and motor cycles, and arson.

Sexual crimes against women and children remain an area of concern, he said.

"The decrease doesn't mean that there are no incidences...they do exist," he said.

He said in the year under review, the police confiscated large quantities of drugs.

He said the figures they would release were raw figures that have been audited by the Auditor General of South Africa.

The police would work with the auditor general and Statistics South Africa to ensure better statistics going forward, he said.

The police will focus on four pillars – strengthening the criminal justice system, professional ideation of the police, demilitarisation and building safety using an integrated approach.