Contact-Related Crimes
Arson in South Africa
Intentional and unlawful setting fire to property
Total Arson (2025)
2,181
6.8%
Rate per 100k
4
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 8,352 | 14 | — |
| FY2019 | 3,852 | 6 | -53.9% |
| FY2020 | 3,308 | 5 | -14.1% |
| FY2021 | 4,200 | 7 | +27.0% |
| FY2022 | 3,741 | 6 | -10.9% |
| FY2023 | 3,663 | 6 | -2.1% |
| FY2024 | 3,119 | 5 | -14.9% |
| FY2025 | 2,908 | 5 | -6.8% |
Overall change since FY2019: -43.4%
Arson by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Cape | 122 | 9 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 472 | 7 |
| 3 | Eastern Cape | 327 | 5 |
| 4 | Free State | 126 | 4 |
| 5 | North West | 158 | 4 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 402 | 3 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 159 | 3 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 119 | 3 |
| 9 | Gauteng | 296 | 2 |
Top 20 Precincts — Arson
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosedale | northern-cape | 15 | 85 |
| 2 | Roodepan | northern-cape | 15 | 48 |
| 3 | Tlokoeng | eastern-cape | 7 | 46 |
| 4 | Beaufort West | western-cape | 9 | 44 |
| 5 | Stutterheim | eastern-cape | 9 | 41 |
| 6 | Cookhouse | eastern-cape | 5 | 38 |
| 7 | Knysna | western-cape | 15 | 38 |
| 8 | Zamdela | free-state | 9 | 37 |
| 9 | Sunrise | northern-cape | 3 | 37 |
| 10 | Delft | western-cape | 27 | 36 |
| 11 | Bloemspruit | free-state | 13 | 34 |
| 12 | Taung | north-west | 9 | 34 |
| 13 | Kakamas | northern-cape | 6 | 34 |
| 14 | Upington | northern-cape | 6 | 34 |
| 15 | Mfuleni | western-cape | 26 | 34 |
| 16 | Willowvale | eastern-cape | 7 | 32 |
| 17 | Mogwase | north-west | 18 | 32 |
| 18 | Pella | northern-cape | 2 | 31 |
| 19 | Springbok | northern-cape | 2 | 31 |
| 20 | Philippolis | free-state | 2 | 29 |
About Arson in South Africa
Intentional and unlawful setting fire to property. In 2025, there were 2,181 reported cases of arson across South Africa, representing a rate of 4 per 100,000 population. This represents a 6.8% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact-Related Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Arson | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Cape | 163 | 13 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 629 | 9 |
| 3 | Eastern Cape | 436 | 6 |
| 4 | Free State | 168 | 6 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 536 | 5 |
| 6 | North West | 211 | 5 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 212 | 4 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 159 | 3 |
| 9 | Gauteng | 395 | 2 |