Contact Crimes
Murder in South Africa
Unlawful and intentional killing of another person
Total Murder (2025)
17,915
9.0%
Rate per 100k
30
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 43,256 | 72 | — |
| FY2019 | 21,341 | 35 | -50.7% |
| FY2020 | 19,846 | 33 | -7.0% |
| FY2021 | 25,274 | 42 | +27.4% |
| FY2022 | 27,757 | 46 | +9.8% |
| FY2023 | 28,413 | 47 | +2.4% |
| FY2024 | 26,261 | 43 | -7.6% |
| FY2025 | 23,887 | 40 | -9.0% |
Overall change since FY2019: -16.1%
Murder by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Cape | 3,398 | 50 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 3,465 | 49 |
| 3 | KwaZulu-Natal | 3,685 | 32 |
| 4 | Gauteng | 4,408 | 27 |
| 5 | Free State | 602 | 21 |
| 6 | Northern Cape | 258 | 20 |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 800 | 17 |
| 8 | North West | 705 | 17 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 594 | 10 |
Top 20 Precincts — Murder
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mfuleni | western-cape | 231 | 305 |
| 2 | Ngcobo | eastern-cape | 75 | 299 |
| 3 | Dutywa | eastern-cape | 59 | 271 |
| 4 | Willowvale | eastern-cape | 58 | 266 |
| 5 | Delft | western-cape | 188 | 248 |
| 6 | Nyanga | western-cape | 176 | 232 |
| 7 | Ngqamakhwe | eastern-cape | 50 | 229 |
| 8 | New Brighton | eastern-cape | 136 | 217 |
| 9 | Gugulethu | western-cape | 164 | 216 |
| 10 | Sterkspruit | eastern-cape | 32 | 212 |
| 11 | Kwazakele | eastern-cape | 127 | 203 |
| 12 | Kraaifontein | western-cape | 152 | 201 |
| 13 | Joza | eastern-cape | 26 | 200 |
| 14 | Philippi East | western-cape | 149 | 197 |
| 15 | Mthatha | eastern-cape | 144 | 192 |
| 16 | Centane | eastern-cape | 41 | 188 |
| 17 | Harare | western-cape | 141 | 186 |
| 18 | Inanda | kwazulu-natal | 186 | 184 |
| 19 | Cofimvaba | eastern-cape | 46 | 183 |
| 20 | Khayelitsha | western-cape | 139 | 183 |
About Murder in South Africa
Unlawful and intentional killing of another person. In 2025, there were 17,915 reported cases of murder across South Africa, representing a rate of 30 per 100,000 population. This represents a 9% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Murder | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Cape | 4,531 | 67 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 4,620 | 65 |
| 3 | KwaZulu-Natal | 4,913 | 43 |
| 4 | Gauteng | 5,877 | 37 |
| 5 | Free State | 803 | 27 |
| 6 | Northern Cape | 344 | 26 |
| 7 | North West | 940 | 23 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 1,067 | 22 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 792 | 13 |