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Pretoria - The ANC national executive committee will analyse the 2013/2014 crime statistics at its meeting on Friday, secretary general Gwede Mantashe said.
"We don't want to speculate and talk out of gut feelings. We are here and we are going to analyse it," he told reporters in Pretoria.
The three-day NEC meeting, attended by senior party officials including President Jacob Zuma and his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa, would deal with numerous issues, including local government service delivery.
Statistics released by the police earlier in Pretoria showed that the murder rate had increased despite overall serious crime declining slightly by 0.4%.
"It's a very difficult area to police. It requires each and every one of us to work together," national police commissioner Riah Phiyega said referring to the murder rate.
"We really need help in this area."
She said abuse was often not reported and by the time police were called a murder had already been committed.
Phiyega said most murders were committed by someone known to the victim.
Murder had increased by 5% and attempted murder by 4.6%.
Phiyega announced that contact crimes had increased by 0.5%.
Contact crimes included murder, attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and common assault.
Attempted murder increased by 4.6%, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm dropped by 1.5%, and common assault dropped by 3.3%.
Commenting on MK fiasco
Asked to comment on the fiasco caused by Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans' Association chairperson Kebby Maphatsoe's remarks, Mantashe responded: "He is chairing the military veterans' association. It's not a league.
"In Zimbabwe they call them war veterans. It's not a political structure which he chairs. I don't know how you call those veterans loose cannons," said Mantashe.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Maphatsoe, also the deputy defence minister, had accused Public Protector Thuli Madonsela of being a spy, insinuating that she worked for the US Central Intelligence Agency.
Madonsela gave Maphatsoe three days to back his allegations, or issue an apology and retraction. The following day he apologised, but claimed he had been misinterpreted.
"After consultation with my organisation, the African National Congress, it would seem as though my statements have been misunderstood and misinterpreted," he said at the time.
Maphatsoe was also at the ANC summit on Friday.
