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Stats SA has released the latest Victims of Crime (VoC) survey, revealing a sharp rise in violent crime across South Africa.
Despite this, thousands of incidents remain unreported, painting a grimmer picture than official crime statistics suggest.
The VoC survey highlights a troubling increase in violent crimes and property damage over the past year.
Assault cases have nearly doubled, while the murder rate has surged by almost 38%. However, interpreting these figures is challenging due to delays in the Department of Police's publication of official crime data.
The department is two quarters behind in releasing its statistics, leaving the VoC data without important context.
Nevertheless, the survey underscores that South Africa's crime situation may be far worse than future police reports will show, mainly due to the high number of crimes that go unreported.
Official crime statistics in South Africa are based on incidents reported at police stations or discovered by law enforcement.
As a result, many crimes that do not follow this formal route are excluded from the data.
By contrast, the VoC survey offers insight into crime from the victims' perspective, including those who never report their experiences to the authorities.
In the absence of up-to-date crime stats from the police, the VoC survey suggests that crime levels in South Africa have risen significantly.
It tracks crime experiences of both households and individuals over the past 12 months and a five-year period.
One of the most alarming findings is the steep rise in murders, with an estimated 22,000 taking place over the last year—a 38% increase from the 16,000 reported in the previous survey.
While serious violent crimes are often reported, many others, including sexual offences and vehicle hijackings, frequently go unreported.
Even the crimes that are reported—around 65%-67% for sexual offences and hijackings—may not fully reflect the scale of the issue.
VoC FIVE-YEAR PERIOD STATISTICS:
2022/23 | 2023/24 | INCREASE/DECREASE | |
Housebreaking | 2,300,000 | 2,600,000 | +12% |
Home Robbery | 465,000 | 459,000 | -1% |
Assault | 219,000 | 257,000 | +17% |
Theft of Motor Vehicle | 209,000 | 222,000 | +6% |
Damage to Dwellings | 152,000 | 219,000 | +44% |
Murder | 57,000 | 67,000 | +18% |
Sexual Offences | 49,000 | 47,000 | -4% |
SOUTH AFRICA'S CRIME SITUATION:
South Africa's crime challenges extend beyond the VoC survey.
According to the Crime Index of 2024, Pietermaritzburg ranked first among African cities, scoring approximately 83 index points.
Shockingly, the six most dangerous areas on the continent were all South African cities.
The crime index measures the overall crime level in specific regions, with scores classified as very high (over 80), high (60-80), moderate (40-60), low (20-40), and very low (below 20).
Pietermaritzburg's 2024 crime index shows 82.5, followed by Pretoria's 81.9, Johannesburg's 80.8, Durban's 80.6, Gqeberha's 77.7, and Cape Town's 73.8.
According to the 2023 crime index ranking, South Africa was identified as the most dangerous country in Africa, followed by Somalia, Nigeria, and Angola.
The country also recorded one of the highest murder rates in the world, with approximately 36 homicides per 100,000 people.
Besides violent crime, organised criminal activity is a significant issue, earning South Africa the third-highest ranking for organised crime in Africa.
Reflecting these dire statistics, a 2023 survey revealed that 56% of South Africans expressed deep concern over crime and violence in the country.
The Department of Police has not released its crime statistics for the last two quarters.
The department missed the fourth-quarter 2023/24 stats presentation ahead of the 2024 elections.
Furthermore, it was revealed that the Q1 2024/25 stats are also pending Cabinet approval.
South Africans are facing a grim future as crime is escalating exponentially.
Taking safety measures seriously concerning all aspects of your daily life is critical.
Stay vigilant.
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Mike Bolhuis
Specialist Investigators into
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