Despite a decline in serious violent crime nationally, the Eastern Cape still has the highest murder rate in South Africa, police minister Firoz Cachalia revealed on Friday.
Presenting the fourth-quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year, covering January to March, Cachalia said the province remained the country’s murder hotspot even as national murder figures declined.
“The Eastern Cape presents the highest risk with 14.3 murders per 100,000 people,” Cachalia said.
The province recorded the highest murder ratio in the country, far above the national average of 8.2 murders per 100,000 people. The Western Cape followed with 12.8 murders per 100000 people, while KwaZulu-Natal recorded 8.8.
Although Gauteng recorded the highest number of murders overall, Cachalia said the likelihood of being murdered in the Eastern Cape was nearly double that of Gauteng, which stood at 7.1 murders per 100,000 people.
Nationally violent “contact crimes” — including murder, rape, assault and robbery — declined by 4.6%, with 7,405 fewer cases reported compared to the same period last year.
Crime generally, and organised crime in particular, is not evenly spread across the country. It is heavily concentrated in our economic hubs and in certain high-risk spaces
— Firoz Cachalia, minister of police
Murder cases dropped by 9.5%, from 5,727 in the same quarter last year to 5,181 this year, meaning 546 fewer people lost their lives. Compared to the same period in 2024, murders declined by 20.7%, with 1,355 fewer murder cases reported.
“While Gauteng, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal all recorded notable decreases in murders, these four provinces still accounted for more than 80% of all murders in South Africa,” Cachalia said.
He warned that violent crime remained heavily concentrated in certain provinces and police precincts. “These high-crime precincts are not just places on a map. They are communities where fear has become a daily companion.”
Cachalia said organised crime and violent criminal syndicates continued to plague provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
“Crime generally, and organised crime in particular, is not evenly spread across the country. It is heavily concentrated in our economic hubs and in certain high-risk spaces.”
The minister also highlighted the role of social factors in violent crime, saying many murders and rapes occurred inside homes and involved people known to victims. According to the statistics, 1,523 murders occurred at the residence of either the perpetrator or the victim, while 47.2% of rapes took place in homes.
“Violence in South Africa is not only about strangers attacking strangers. It is about partners, relatives, neighbours and acquaintances.”
A decrease in crime is not the same as achieving safety.
— Firoz Cachalia
Alcohol abuse also continued to fuel violent crime, with 7,267 cases of murder, attempted murder, rape and assault linked to alcohol use during the quarter.
Cachalia further raised concern over vigilantism, saying 299 murders were linked to mob justice incidents.
“We must also reflect on the dangerous belief that mob justice will make us safe. Violence does not solve anything. It only leads to more violence.”
Despite the decline in violent crime, Cachalia stressed that the country remained under severe levels of violence.
“A decrease in crime is not the same as achieving safety. The levels of crime are still unacceptably high, with 58 murders per day on average during this quarter.”
To tackle crime, Cachalia said the South African Police Service would intensify its “police reset agenda”, aimed at modernising policing, strengthening investigations and improving intelligence gathering.
Special focus would be placed on the country’s top 50 high-crime police stations, while the government was also considering a national community patroller programme to improve police visibility in crime hotspots.
“We will not rest until the right to safety, enshrined in our Constitution, is a lived reality in every home, every street, every school, every taxi rank, and every village in this country.”
Daily Dispatch
Sivenathi Gosa
www.dailydispatch.co.za