South Africa Murder Rate Edges Down

But violent crime remains unacceptably high

In the first three months of this year, SAPS recorded a national rate of 8.2 murders per 100,000 people. The total number of murders has declined every quarter for the past three years.

Over a full year -- April 2025 to March 2026 -- the murder rate was 36.6 murders per 100,000 population -- down from 40.7 in the preceeding twelve months.

But there is little cause for celebration, as violent crime remains high. The average murder rate for Africa is about 12.7 per 100,000 population. And the international average is about 5.6.

58 people were killed every day in South Africa between January and March this year. Murder rates are exceptionally high in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

In total, 5,181 people were murdered between January and March:

1,487 in Gauteng
1,193 in KwaZulu-Natal
1,068 in Western Cape
1,020 in Eastern Cape
274 in Mpumalanga
228 in North West
214 in Free State
179 in Limpopo
112 in Northern Cape

According to the SAPS' crime statistics release for January to March, the main drivers of murders are:

Arguments, misunderstandings, road rage and provocation: 898
Vigilantism and mob justice: 299
Retaliation, revenge or punishment: 251
Gang-related: 242 (only 17 gang-related murders were outside the Western Cape)
Robbery: 235

Most murders take place in public places (2,587) or the homes of a perpetrator or victim (1,523). 160 murders take place at liquor outlets.

The latest stats show the need for continued efforts to improve policing, crime intelligence, investigation, and prosecution.

Read the original article on GroundUp.

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