Police Minister Bheki Cele says calls by South Africans for police to decisively deal with crime are "not falling on deaf ears".

Violent crime increased year on year between October and December 2022, the Portfolio Committee on Police heard on Friday morning, when the police presented the crime statistics for the third quarter of the current financial year.

Overall, violent crime increased by 11.6% compared to the same period the previous year. This included increases in each of the categories making up violent crime.

There were 7 555 murders, an increase of 696 or 10.1%.

Sexual offences increased by 1 357 to 15 545, an increase of 9.6%. There were 7 016 attempted murders, an increase of 1 357 or 24.3% – the highest percentage increase in all categories.

On Friday, Cele released the crime statistics for the third quarter of the current financial year.

"The calls by South Africans on the police to decisively deal with crime are loud, and they are clear. I stand here before you this afternoon, supported by the full contingent of the SAPS management, to say these calls by South Africans are not falling on deaf ears," he told a media briefing on Friday.

Almost half of those murdered were killed with a firearm, while a large proportion were killed with other weapons such as knives, sharp and blunt instruments, and bricks.

"It is clear, a broader conversation must be had about what is at the heart of violent crime in the country," Cele said.

"With the analysis of the current and previous statistics, it is quite evident that firearms are only part of a bigger problem. At the core of the matter is human behaviour. We have to be honest as South Africans about the causes of violence and address them."

Cele said the high rates of unemployment and poverty levels, as well as the mushrooming of informal settlements with little to no services, and other socio-economic ills, were breeding criminality.

"The violence that is stalking communities is translated to an increased number of assaults, which escalate to attempted murders and, in some cases, murder. The reality is assaults are feeders of domestic violence and other violent crimes," he said.

He added that police would continue to intensify intelligence-led operations to "take down individuals or organised criminals hell-bent on terrorising communities".

"Police are also cleaning house and ridding the service of officers who choose to partner with rogue criminal elements."

In the current financial year, 46 police officers had been dismissed for various transgressions, Cele said.

"With that said, we know and understand that police alone will not be able to drive out criminality on our streets, in our alleyways, in our homes, schools and places of leisure and worship. We call on communities to take charge and be allies in safety.

Assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm increased by 4 069 or 8.7% to 52 741, while common assault increased by 5 660 or 12% to 52 741.

There were 12 752 common robberies, an increase of 2 228 or 21.2%, and 32 829 robberies with aggravated circumstances, an increase of 3 686 or 10.8%.

These crimes, with the exception of robberies with aggravated circumstances, increased compared to the previous quarter (July to September 2022).

There were 7 004 murders during this quarter, 13 283 sexual crimes, 6 155 attempted murders, 41 251 assaults with intent to do grievous bodily harm, 44 389 common assaults, 12 024 common robberies, and 38 412 robberies with aggravated circumstances.

In total, 1 101 women were murdered between October and December 2022, an increase of 199 compared to the same quarter in the previous year and 112 more than the previous quarter.

There were 1 636 attempted murders of women, 396 more than in the same quarter of the previous year and 359 more than in the previous quarter.

There were 17 271 assaults on women, 1 579 more than in the same quarter of the previous year and 3 570 more than in the previous quarter.

Between October and December, 319 children were murdered, 33 fewer than in the same quarter the previous year, but four more than the period between July and September.

There were 488 attempted murders of children, 94 more than the same quarter of the previous year and 194 more than in the previous quarter.

There were 2 039 assaults with intent to do grievous bodily harm on children, nine fewer than the same quarter of the previous year, but 144 more than in the previous quarter.