58 people murdered every day in South Africa – these are the deadliest areas
The latest crime statistics report reveals that there were 5,181 murders in South Africa from January to March 2026, averaging nearly 60 murders per day.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has released its official crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2025–2026 financial year, covering the period from January to March 2026.
While the national data indicates a positive downward trend in major violent crime categories, such as murder and sexual offences, certain regions continue to be significant hotspots for criminal activity.
The fourth-quarter figures reveal an overall decrease of 4.4% in the “17 community-reported serious crimes” compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
Murder has decreased nationally by 9.5%, with reported incidents dropping to 5,181. Rape cases have also declined by 8.5%, resulting in 9,782 reported incidents.
Carjacking saw a 20.4% reduction, to 3,609 incidents. However, commercial crimes, including white-collar offences, increased by 4.0%, reaching 36,797 cases.
Among the 17 community-reported serious crimes, Gauteng continues to experience the highest level of criminal activity in South Africa, closely followed by the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
| Province | January to March 2026 (murder counts) | % Contribution to national total |
| Gauteng | 1 223 | 23.6% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 1 058 | 20.4% |
| Western Cape | 983 | 19.0% |
| Eastern Cape | 949 | 18.3% |
| North West | 271 | 5.2% |
| Mpumalanga | 253 | 4.9% |
| Free State | 192 | 3.7% |
| Limpopo | 175 | 3.4% |
| Northern Cape | 77 | 1.5% |
Deadliest areas in South Africa
SAPS tracking of individual police stations shows the worst precincts nationwide for community-reported serious crimes.
Cape Town Central ranks highest, followed by Mitchells Plain in the Western Cape, Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal, and Durban Central in KwaZulu-Natal.
Top 10 worst crime hotspots (total serious crimes)
- Cape Town Central (Western Cape) – 2,824 cases
- Mitchells Plain (Western Cape) – 1,861 cases
- Inanda (KwaZulu-Natal) – 1,787 cases
- Durban Central (KwaZulu-Natal) – 1,784 cases
- Mfuleni (Western Cape) – 1,691 cases
- Park Road (Free State) – 1,682 cases
- Midrand (Gauteng) – 1,679 cases
- Honeydew (Gauteng) – 1,665 cases
- Phoenix (KwaZulu-Natal) – 1,612 cases
- Delft (Western Cape) – 1,576 cases
If we examine murder statistics, the geographic landscape changes significantly, highlighting the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape.
Kwazakele in the Eastern Cape has now emerged as the top murder hotspot in the country, followed by Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal and Mfuleni in the Western Cape.
Top 10 worst stations for murder
- Kwazakele (Eastern Cape) – 59 murders
- Inanda (KwaZulu-Natal) – 54 murders
- Mfuleni (Western Cape) – 53 murders
- Delft (Western Cape) – 51 murders
- Gugulethu (Western Cape) – 49 murders
- Khayelitsha (Western Cape) – 48 murders
- Philippi East (Western Cape) – 48 murders
- New Brighton (Eastern Cape) – 45 murders
- Motherwell (Eastern Cape) – 44 murders
- Nyanga (Western Cape) – 44 murders
Nationwide, arguments, misunderstandings, and road rage are the leading causes of murder, accounting for 898 cases.
In contrast, gang-related murders are primarily concentrated in the Western Cape, which reports 225 out of a total of 242 national cases.
Carjacking incidents have decreased significantly by 20.4%; however, Gauteng remains the carjacking capital of South Africa, responsible for a staggering 57.1% of all vehicles stolen through hijacking across the country.
The vehicles criminals target most:
- Sedans/Hatchbacks/Coupes: 1,595 incidents
- Bakkies/Panel Vans: 1,168 incidents
- Motorcycles: 297 incidents
- SUVs/Station Wagons: 268 incidents
Alexandra, located in Johannesburg, is currently the leading police precinct in the country for hijacking, with 63 reported cases in just three months.
Overall, crimes detected due to roadblocks, police intelligence, and active law enforcement have increased by 13.0%.
The most concerning statistic is the rise in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, which surged by 29.3%.
This represents an increase from 15,611 cases last year to 20,178 cases in the current quarter.
This may indicate either a significant rise in drunk driving or a greater presence of operational police roadblocks on major arterial routes.
Additionally, drug-related crime detections have also risen by 10.8%, totalling 58,265 cases.
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