Contact Crimes
Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm in South Africa
Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm
Total Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (2025)
129,890
5.0%
Rate per 100k
215
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 374,784 | 620 | — |
| FY2019 | 166,828 | 276 | -55.5% |
| FY2020 | 143,495 | 237 | -14.0% |
| FY2021 | 165,185 | 273 | +15.1% |
| FY2022 | 172,095 | 285 | +4.2% |
| FY2023 | 181,281 | 300 | +5.3% |
| FY2024 | 182,395 | 302 | +0.6% |
| FY2025 | 173,187 | 286 | -5.0% |
Overall change since FY2019: -22.1%
Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Cape | 5,360 | 411 |
| 2 | Free State | 9,515 | 325 |
| 3 | North West | 11,774 | 287 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 19,277 | 286 |
| 5 | Western Cape | 17,367 | 244 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 23,413 | 203 |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 8,416 | 177 |
| 8 | Gauteng | 26,078 | 162 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 8,690 | 147 |
Top 20 Precincts — Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maydon Wharf | kwazulu-natal | 4 | 400,000 |
| 2 | King Shaka International Airport | kwazulu-natal | 3 | 300,000 |
| 3 | OR Tambo International Airport | gauteng | 1 | 100,000 |
| 4 | Douglas | northern-cape | 164 | 2,044 |
| 5 | Sterkspruit | eastern-cape | 304 | 2,011 |
| 6 | Plessislaer | kwazulu-natal | 974 | 1,971 |
| 7 | Graaff-Reinet | eastern-cape | 236 | 1,815 |
| 8 | Worcester | western-cape | 646 | 1,722 |
| 9 | Galeshewe | northern-cape | 521 | 1,679 |
| 10 | Thabong | free-state | 529 | 1,634 |
| 11 | Sunrise | northern-cape | 127 | 1,583 |
| 12 | Upington | northern-cape | 263 | 1,484 |
| 13 | Bloemspruit | free-state | 533 | 1,379 |
| 14 | Zamdela | free-state | 325 | 1,338 |
| 15 | Taung | north-west | 357 | 1,335 |
| 16 | Nqweba | eastern-cape | 171 | 1,315 |
| 17 | Alice | eastern-cape | 269 | 1,235 |
| 18 | Zastron | free-state | 84 | 1,210 |
| 19 | Mmabatho | north-west | 490 | 1,202 |
| 20 | Knysna | western-cape | 470 | 1,177 |
About Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm in South Africa
Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. In 2025, there were 129,890 reported cases of assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm across South Africa, representing a rate of 215 per 100,000 population. This represents a 5% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Cape | 7,147 | 548 |
| 2 | Free State | 12,687 | 433 |
| 3 | Eastern Cape | 25,703 | 382 |
| 4 | North West | 15,699 | 382 |
| 5 | Western Cape | 23,156 | 326 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 31,217 | 271 |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 11,221 | 237 |
| 8 | Gauteng | 34,771 | 216 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 11,587 | 196 |