Most Dangerous Areas in Free State
These are the highest-crime police precincts in Free State, ranked by crime rate per 100,000 people based on the latest SAPS data.
Province Crime Rate
3,697 / 100k
National Average
3,067 / 100k
Violent Crime Rate
1,479 / 100k
Precincts Ranked
113
Crime Hotspots in Free State — Ranked by Crime Rate
| Rank | Precinct | City / District | Crime Rate | Violent Rate | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Park Road | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 22,989 | 6,977 | F |
| 2 | Thabong | Lejweleputswa (Welkom) | 13,300 | 6,695 | F |
| 3 | Welkom | Lejweleputswa (Welkom) | 12,787 | 3,818 | F |
| 4 | Phuthaditjhaba | Thabo Mofutsanyana (Bethlehem) | 10,891 | 4,896 | F |
| 5 | Zamdela | Fezile Dabi (Sasolburg) | 10,444 | 5,704 | F |
| 6 | Bloemspruit | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 10,122 | 5,194 | F |
| 7 | Harrismith | Thabo Mofutsanyana (Bethlehem) | 9,691 | 3,747 | F |
| 8 | Maokeng | Fezile Dabi (Sasolburg) | 9,657 | 4,501 | F |
| 9 | Kroonstad | Fezile Dabi (Sasolburg) | 9,147 | 2,063 | F |
| 10 | Zastron | Xhariep | 9,118 | 3,875 | F |
| 11 | Kagisanong | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 8,812 | 4,130 | F |
| 12 | Odendaalsrus | Lejweleputswa (Welkom) | 8,585 | 4,013 | F |
| 13 | Mangaung | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 8,416 | 2,228 | F |
| 14 | Boithuso | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 7,963 | 4,066 | F |
| 15 | Bethlehem | Thabo Mofutsanyana (Bethlehem) | 7,830 | 2,562 | F |
| 16 | Sasolburg | Fezile Dabi (Sasolburg) | 7,541 | 1,915 | F |
| 17 | Petrusburg | Xhariep | 7,217 | 2,694 | F |
| 18 | Botshabelo | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 6,884 | 3,429 | F |
| 19 | Bohlokong | Thabo Mofutsanyana (Bethlehem) | 6,864 | 2,785 | F |
| 20 | Kopanong | Bloemfontein (Mangaung) | 6,328 | 2,710 | F |
Understanding Crime in Free State
A high overall crime rate does not necessarily mean an area is violent or unsafe to visit. Crime statistics include a wide range of offences — from shoplifting, drug-related crimes, and fraud to serious violent crimes like murder and robbery. Some precincts have high total crime rates driven largely by property crime or commercial crime, while their violent crime rates remain comparatively low.
In Free State, the overall crime rate is 3,697 per 100,000 people — 20.5% above the national average of 3,067 per 100,000. The violent crime rate, however, is 1,479 per 100,000 — 34.1% above the national violent crime average of 1,103 per 100,000.
When assessing safety, it is important to look at both overall crime rates and violent crime rates specifically. The table above includes both figures for each precinct, along with a safety grade that accounts for the full crime profile. For a detailed breakdown of crime types, visit the individual Free State province page.