Natalie Cowling
Research Expert South Africa
Violent crime in South Africa - statistics & facts
Violent crime in South Africa involves forceful acts against an individual, with or without a weapon, which can result in a criminal charge. Most violent crimes in the country are categorized under contact crimes, which consists of common assault, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm, aggravated robbery, sexual offenses, common robbery, murder, and attempted murder. Between October and December 2022, contact crime levels peaked across all categories, amounting to a total of 184,020 reports. The cities with the highest crime indexes within South Africa, as well as the African continent, are Pretoria, Durban and Johannesburg. Some of the major issues which are contributing to the increase in violent crime are corruption, poverty, unemployment, and the lack of public services.
The murder of Karabo Mokoena in 2018 sparked a national outrage among South Africans and highlighted the prevalent and ongoing issue of gender-based violence in the country. Notable child murder cases of Chivonne Rusche, Bokgabo Poo and Tamia Botha, which occurred in 2022, add additional emphasis to the violent crime crisis South Africa is facing, and the need to address obstacles in the way of justice.
Various functional problems exists, including resource and staffing issues among the police and emergency call-takers. In 2022, the number of call-takers required to handle emergency calls throughout the country amounted to 3,344. However, only 1,315 call-takers were deployed. Over one million crime-related emergency calls made across five provinces were abandoned, which emphasizes the overall systematic failings.
Women and children affected by violent crime
Violence against women and children is a growing phenomenon in South Africa and is exacerbated by poverty. During the State of the Nation Address in 2023, the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, announced that the government has implemented new laws to safeguard women and children from violence and abuse in the country. These necessary additions are a consequence of the alarmingly high incidences of contact crimes against women, and contact crimes against children. Between April 2022 and March 2023, 3,934 women and 1,122 children were murdered.The murder of Karabo Mokoena in 2018 sparked a national outrage among South Africans and highlighted the prevalent and ongoing issue of gender-based violence in the country. Notable child murder cases of Chivonne Rusche, Bokgabo Poo and Tamia Botha, which occurred in 2022, add additional emphasis to the violent crime crisis South Africa is facing, and the need to address obstacles in the way of justice.
Criminal justice system
The South African criminal justice system is divided into six divisions, namely the South African Police Services, the National Prosecuting Authority, the courts, the Department of Justice, the Department of Correctional Services, and the Department of Social Development. Together, these divisions are responsible for delivering justice to those who commit crimes. Although there is a relatively high amount of violent crime cases resulting in conviction , only a fraction of the overall number of reports went to trial.Various functional problems exists, including resource and staffing issues among the police and emergency call-takers. In 2022, the number of call-takers required to handle emergency calls throughout the country amounted to 3,344. However, only 1,315 call-takers were deployed. Over one million crime-related emergency calls made across five provinces were abandoned, which emphasizes the overall systematic failings.
