Police in the Hardap Region have recorded a 10.7% decrease in overall crimes reported in 2024 compared to the previous year.

The Regional Crime Investigations Division Head, Deputy Commissioner John Mwatongwe, revealed this at a media briefing held at Mariental.

Statistics revealed that the region recorded 4,156 cases. Of these cases, 914 were police-generated cases through crime prevention efforts.

Despite the decline in the crime rate, murder cases reported in 2024 increased by 58.8% compared to 2023.

Attempted murder cases, however, decreased by 62%.

Other crimes that saw a decline in 2024 included robbery, which dropped by 16.1%; domestic violence, by 50.2%; housebreaking, by 22.8%; theft, by 5.2%; and stock theft, by 35.9%.

"It is imperative that there are positive signs in the reduction of crime, although minimal; for us, it is significant because if we can reduce by one percent, we can still say it is a reduction. We commend the Namibian Police and the Inspector General for the strategies. You know, we all heard about the boots on the ground. So, we implement more boots on the ground in order for us to come to this decrease."

Of the total crimes reported in 2024, Deputy Commissioner Mwatongwe revealed that 44.5% were recorded in Rehoboth, which is also known as the hotspot for drug-related cases.

Drugs seized, including skunk and pure cannabis, mandrax tablets, and cocaine with a street value of N$918,490, were confiscated in the region in 2024.

The region, however, recorded a reduction of 2.2% in drug-related cases.

"Drugs, this is the problem now—you will see the display—have been sweeping the country's streets for centuries maybe, and Hardap Region is no exception. We also face one trend in the region. The battle is real, and our major problem here is the town of Rehoboth."

Mwatongwe noted that crime reduction demonstrates that crime can indeed be overcome by a devoted focus on key areas of concern and implementing time-bound interventions.