Rising Trends: A Closer Look at South Africa's Latest Crime Statistics
22 Sep 2024
The latest South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics for Q4 2023/2024 and Q1 2024/2025 were released and reveal significant insights into the state of crime across the country. The data highlights not only current crime hotspots but also details emerging trends, such as non-residential robberies which continue to evolve in both scale and method.
Between April and June 2024, there were a total of 15,230 TRIO crimes recorded, which encompass carjacking, house robbery, and business robbery. Among these, business robberies stand out as a critical area for attention.
Key Areas for Non-Residential Robberies
Robbery at non-residential premises is a key concern for many, especially businesses across the country. Here are the top five precincts where non-residential robberies were most prevalent between April and June 2024:
•Madeira, Eastern Cape
•Johannesburg Central, Gauteng
•Vosman, Mpumalanga
•Florida, Gauteng
•Rustenburg, North West
These areas saw the highest rates of non-residential robberies, highlighting regions where occupants, such as businesses may need to strengthen security measures.
The broader landscape of crimes showed mixed trends. There were 64 cash-in-transit robberies in Q4 2022/2023, compared to 40 in Q4 2023/2024, reflecting a 35.5% decrease. However, truck hijackings increased by 5.3% from 435 cases to 458 during the same period, with Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal leading in these incidents.
Among reported cash-in-transit robberies, the majority (57.5%) occurred during the armoured vehicle's journey on the road. Of particular note, in 16 cross-pavement CIT robberies, perpetrators often threatened security guards while they returned to the armoured vehicle after collecting money. Most of these incidents happened in parking areas, further illustrating the vulnerability of businesses at points where large sums of money are handled.
Property-Related Crime Trends
Burglaries at non-residential premises, which include business break-ins, saw significant numbers throughout early 2024. In January, there were 5,042 cases, dropping slightly to 4,360 by March. Gauteng remained the most affected province, with a gradual decline from 7,114 cases in April 2024 to 6,470 in June 2024. The Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal followed closely behind, although all provinces experienced slight decreases over the months.
With robberies continuing to pose a serious threat and certain regions experiencing an increase in crime, it’s crucial for organisations to review and strengthen their security protocols. This can be done through staying vigilant and proactive is essential to mitigate potential risks.
Excellerate Services remains committed to providing solutions that ensure that your business is fully protected, contact our professional team today, here, for a comprehensive security assessment. Our experts will help you design and implement a tailored security solution so that you can safeguard your property and focus on your business with confidence.
Source: Centre for Risk Analysis