More than 6,000 people were killed in South Africa from January to March this year, an increase of 3.4% compared to the same period last year, an official source announced.

According to figures made public on Monday by South African Police Minister Bheki Cele, most of the murders were recorded in the provinces of Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.

According to Bheki Cele, many victims were killed using firearms, knives, sharp and blunt instruments.

There is also concern about the number of cases of assaults on cash-in-transit vehicles, robberies, assaults and attempted murders.

Although South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world, Minister Cele says there are signs of improvements in people's safety.

Bheke Cele, who was presenting the crime statistics for the quarter, pointed to the decrease in the number of rapes, by around 3 %, and child murders, by 20%, to justify the gains in police action.

"This Ministry once again calls on the government and all of society to join in this fight. We again call on the government, at all levels, to support community policing efforts. Without the participation of the community, the police will never win the war against crime," he said. (RM)