Crime in South Africa: What the Latest Numbers Say and Where to Get Help

At a glance (28 September 2026): Police data for April–June 2026 reported decreases in several serious contact-crime categories, including murder, but thousands of violent crimes were still recorded. Police figures cover reported and recorded cases; a separate household survey captures some crimes never reported to police. Neither one number nor one quarter tells the whole story of safety in a neighbourhood.

Safety is not just a national statistic. People experience different risks depending on where they live, travel and work. The right response is to read the data carefully, support victims and improve the places and institutions that should keep people safe — not blame people harmed by crime.

What the latest police figures show

In the release of the first-quarter 2026/27 crime statistics, government said murder, carjacking and residential robbery had declined compared with the corresponding period a year earlier. That reporting period is 1 April to 30 June 2026. A decline is welcome, but it does not mean crime has disappeared; even a falling murder rate leaves severe harm.

Compare the same quarter in different years to account for seasonal patterns. Also distinguish counts from rates per 100,000 residents, and national changes from the figures for a particular police precinct. Changes in reporting or recording can affect some categories.

Why a victim survey can tell a different story

Stats SA's 2025/26 Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey asks people about experiences of crime, including incidents they did not report. Its reference period is April 2025 to March 2026, not the April–June 2026 police quarter. The survey finds housebreaking and theft affect many households and individuals, and that a substantial proportion of incidents are not reported to police.

Police case totals and survey estimates are not interchangeable. The survey estimates experiences from a sample and has its own uncertainty; police data count cases entered in police records. Read both to understand the gap between experienced harm and reported crime.

If a crime happens: a practical path

  1. Get to safety first. For immediate danger or urgent police help, call 10111 or seek help from a nearby police station. For a medical emergency, seek urgent medical care.
  2. Report to SAPS. Tell the officer what happened in your own words. Ask for the case number and the investigating officer's details; keep copies of any records you receive. If you cannot safely attend alone, take a trusted person.
  3. Preserve evidence without putting yourself at risk. Keep relevant messages, photographs, receipts and dates. Do not confront a suspect to collect evidence.
  4. Follow up using your case number. If you are turned away, ask for the station commander or contact the SAPS complaint channels listed on its official site.
  5. Seek specialised support. Survivors of sexual violence can ask for a Thuthuzela Care Centre, where medical, psychosocial and justice services are coordinated. You can seek medical care even before deciding what to do about a criminal case.

For more detail on protection orders and support after gender-based violence, see our GBV support guide. The government's victim-support directory also lists helplines and organisations.

What communities can do without blaming victims

Poor lighting, abandoned spaces, weak transport connections and delayed emergency responses are public problems. Residents can document unsafe sites, take concerns to ward meetings and Community Policing Forums, and ask the municipality for lighting or repairs. A forum complements formal police work; it is not a substitute for reporting a crime or an excuse for vigilantism. No precaution makes a victim responsible for an offender's actions.

How to read the next headline

Ask which period, which place, which kind of crime, which source and whether the figure is a count, rate, survey estimate or percentage change. Check the SAPS crime statistics and Stats SA survey rather than relying on a dramatic headline alone.

Sources and further reading

Immediate danger: Call 10111. This independent explainer is general information, not a police service or a substitute for emergency or legal assistance.