A Closer Look at the Latest Contact Crime Statistics

13 Apr 2025

The South African Police Service has released the contact crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, revealing sobering insights into violent crime across the country. Covering the months from October to December 2024, the report sheds light on where crime is most concentrated, what drives it, and who is most affected.

Contact crime refers to incidents where victims are directly targeted by perpetrators, often involving violence or threats of violence. These crimes include murder, attempted murder, sexual offences (including rape and sexual assault), assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH), common assault, robbery with aggravating circumstances, carjacking, and residential and business robberies, among others.

Several precincts across South Africa continue to record alarmingly high volumes of contact crime. Topping the list is Mfuleni in the Western Cape, which recorded 1,151 contact crime cases during the quarter. Although this reflects a 7% decrease from the previous quarter, it remains the highest in the country. Other hotspots include Tembisa in Gauteng, which saw a 13.3% increase to 1,096 cases, and Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal, which experienced an 18.3% surge to 1,052 incidents.

Cape Town continues to feature heavily on the list, with precincts such as Delft, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Cape Town Central, and Kraaifontein all appearing in the top 15. Notably, Nyanga and Mitchells Plain both recorded declines in crime, with decreases of 9.6% and 7.2% respectively.

The leading cause behind murder, attempted murder, and assault, grievous bodily harm continues to be arguments, misunderstandings, road rage, or provocations. These personal conflicts accounted for 1,453 murders, 2,112 attempted murders, and an overwhelming 26,337 incidents of assault GBH during the quarter.

Robberies were the second most common cause, contributing to 405 murders and 888 attempted murders. Alarmingly, gang-related violence accounted for 294 murders and 331 attempted murders, with the majority occurring in the Western Cape, further highlighting the province's struggle with gang activity.

Vigilantism and mob justice also played a significant role, contributing to 389 murders. Retaliation, revenge, and punishment-related crimes were cited in 217 murder cases. Taxi-related violence, although smaller in number, continues to pose a threat, with 57 reported murders attributed to disputes within the taxi industry.

Most violent incidents occurred in public spaces, including streets, open fields, parks, and parking areas. These environments accounted for 3,821 murders, 3,456 attempted murders, and over 13,000 serious assaults. Residences, both those of the victims and perpetrators, were the second most common locations for violent crime, with more than 17,000 assault GBH cases recorded in such settings.

Liquor outlets also featured heavily, particularly for assault GBH, which recorded 4,550 cases in or around taverns, pubs, and bottle stores. Business premises, educational institutions, and public transport hubs rounded out the top locations where these crimes occurred.

The data reveal that women and children continue to bear a large burden of contact crime. Between October and December 2024, 961 women were murdered, a 15.3% decrease compared to the same period the previous year. There were also 1,661 attempted murders and over 16,000 GBH assaults involving adult female victims.

Children also faced alarming levels of violence. During the quarter, 273 children were murdered, while attempted murders increased by 12.7% to 480 cases. There were 2,164 reported incidents of assault GBH involving children, indicating a need for urgent interventions to protect vulnerable groups.

Looking at murder trends by province, Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of murders resulting from arguments or provocation (438), followed by KwaZulu-Natal (306) and the Western Cape (287). Robberies were a significant causative factor in Gauteng and the Western Cape, while vigilante killings were prevalent in provinces such as KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and the Eastern Cape.

Gang-related murders remained overwhelmingly concentrated in the Western Cape, which accounted for 263 of the 294 cases reported nationally. 

Efforts to combat these crimes will need to go beyond policing and involve partnerships with communities, private security and investment in youth development, addressing alcohol abuse, and targeted support for vulnerable populations. Understanding the root causes, as well as the hotspots for contact crime, is a vital step towards building safer communities.