Shocking number of South Africans have been a victim of crime in the last 6 months
According to a survey conducted by Crime Stats SA, nearly four out of 10 South Africans have been a victim of crime over a six month period in 2016.
Last month, the South African Police Service released official crime statistics for 2016, showing which crimes have increased – and decreased – over the past year.
The SAPS noted that as many as 2.12 million crimes were reported in the country across 27 different categories over the course of a year.
According to Crime Stats SA, 37% of 60,944 respondents in its poll were reportedly either a victim, or someone close to them has been a victim of crime in the last six months.
Burglary or robbery was by far the most commonly experienced crime, followed by theft. Police data showed that there were 54,110 incidents of common robbery in SA over the past 12 months – 148 cases every day.
| # | Crime | % |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burglary or robbery | 46% |
| 2 | Theft | 27% |
| 3 | Hijacking | 10% |
| 4 | Assault | 6% |
| 5 | Murder | 5% |
| 6 | Attempted murder | 2% |
| 7 | Rape | 2% |
| 8 | Drug-related crime | 1% |
Crime Stats SA identified the top 10 precincts in South Africa for total crimes committed. Unsurprisingly, the majority of the top 10 areas are located in areas with a high economic density.
Worst 10 precincts for crime in 2016
| Precinct | Province | No |
|---|---|---|
| Mitchells Plain | Western Cape | 19,499 |
| Cape Town Central | Western Cape | 17,785 |
| Johannesburg Central | Gauteng | 14,606 |
| Durban Central | Kwazulu-Natal | 13,735 |
| Honeydew | Gauteng | 12,889 |
| Kraaifontein | Western Cape | 11,939 |
| Park Road | Free State | 11,489 |
| Pretoria Central | Gauteng | 11,444 |
| Phoenix | Kwazulu-Natal | 11,206 |
| Hillbrow | Gauteng | 10,933 |
Crime Stats SA identified the top 10 precincts in South Africa for robbery at a residential premises. Majority of the targeted residential areas for robberies are in Gauteng.
Police data showed that over the past 12 months, there were 250,606 burglaries at residential premises in South Africa – 687 per day.
Worst ten precincts in 2016
| Precinct | Province | No |
|---|---|---|
| Honeydew | Gauteng | 380 |
| Nyanga | Western Cape | 329 |
| Sandton | Gauteng | 245 |
| Ivory Park | Gauteng | 213 |
| Roodepoort | Gauteng | 194 |
| Empangeni | Kwazulu-Natal | 177 |
| Midrand | Gauteng | 164 |
| Thohoyandou | Limpopo | 154 |
| Mondeor | Gauteng | 151 |
| Harare | Western Cape | 147 |
More on crime in South Africa
Shocking levels of murder and carjacking in South Africa
South Africa crime stats 2016: everything you need to know
Smash and grab hotspots in Joburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town