The Latest Cape Flats Crime And Violence Statistics
The SAPS last week released the crime and violence stats for the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year (October to December 2024), and there’s a bit of good news amidst the ongoing struggles our communities face. Across a range of crimes, numbers seem to be heading in the right direction.
Murders have dropped by 9.8%, rape cases are down 3.3%, and attempted sexual offenses have also decreased by 3.2%. We’re seeing less carjackings and fewer robberies at homes and businesses. Farmers, too, are feeling the relief, with a 4.5% reduction in stock theft—a much-needed break for the sector.
The trend of fewer murders is nationwide, but Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal continue to account for nearly half of all murder cases. These two provinces alone make up 25.0% and 21.4% of the national total.
While every province saw a decrease in murders, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal continue to hold the highest percentages, making up 46.4% of all national murders. The Western Cape remains a battleground for gang-related violence, with 263 gang murders reported this quarter.
Western Cape Crime And Violence Statistics
Crime rates in the Western Cape have dropped in most categories, with some of the biggest declines seen in shoplifting, business break-ins, and vehicle theft. However, there were a few areas where numbers went up. These include common assault, contact sexual offences, truck hijacking, commercial crime, illegal firearm possession, and driving under the influence.
| Crime Category | Statistics | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Crimes | ||
| Murder | 1198 | -7,9% |
| Sexual offences | 1957 | -4,6% |
| Attempted murder | 1 150 | -12,5% |
| Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm | 6852 | -6.60% |
| Common assault | 12341 | 1.60% |
| Common robbery | 2898 | -1,5% |
| Robbery with aggravating circumstances | 5773 | -10,7% |
| Contact crime (Crimes against the person) | 32 169 | -4,1% |
| Sexual Offences | ||
| Rape | 1353 | -3,4% |
| Sexual assault | 436 | -4,6% |
| Attempted sexual offences | 111 | -23,4% |
| Contact sexual offences | 57 | 9 counts higher |
| Aggravated Robbery | ||
| Carjacking | 694 | -18,9% |
| Robbery at residential premises | 595 | -5,7% |
| Robbery at nonresidential premises | 254 | -28,9% |
| TRIO Crime | 1543 | -16,3% |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 0 | 2 counts lower |
| Bank robbery | 0 | 1 count lower |
| Truck hijacking | 25 | 4 counts higher |
| Property-Related Crimes | ||
| Burglary at non-residential premises | 1434 | -31,0% |
| Burglary at residential premises | 5 729 | -21,6% |
| Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle | 944 | -30,2% |
| Theft out of or from motor vehicle | 5 149 | -17.40% |
| Stock-theft | 191 | -1.50% |
| Property-related crime | 13 447 | -21.70% |
| Other Serious Crimes | ||
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 13 032 | -13.50% |
| Commercial crime | 7114 | 8.40% |
| Shoplifting | 1 840 | -33,3% |
| Other serious crime | 21 986 | -9,9% |
| 17 Community reported serious crime | 75 127 | -9,3% |
| Crimes Detected As Police Action | ||
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 758 | -2,3% |
| Drug-related crime | 21158 | 14,0% |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 2774 | -1.90% |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 17 | 10 counts higher |
| Crime detected as a result of police action | 24 707 | 11,4% |
Murder Hotspots
Cape Town features heavily in the country’s murder statistics, with 12 of its police stations ranking among the 30 highest in South Africa for reported cases.
| Station | District | Statistics | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mfuleni | City of Cape Town District | 73 | -8,8% |
| Delft | City of Cape Town District | 72 | 5.90% |
| Orange Farms | Sedibeng District | 69 | 91,7% |
| Kraaifontein | City of Cape Town District | 65 | 32,7% |
| Inanda | eThekwini District | 65 | -30,1% |
| Kwazakele | Nelson Mandela District | 63 | 57,5% |
| Willowvale | Amathole District | 60 | 46.30% |
| Gugulethu | City of Cape Town District | 60 | -17,8% |
| New Brighton | Nelson Mandela District | 58 | 26,1% |
| Umlazi | leThekwini District | 54 | -8,5% |
| Nyanga | City of Cape Town District | 54 | -26,0% |
| Mitchells Plain | City of Cape Town District | 50 | 31,6% |
| Harare | City of Cape Town District | 50 | -16,7% |
| JHB Central | Johannesburg District | 49 | 5 counts higher |
| Khayelitsha | City of Cape Town District | 49 | 21 counts lower |
| Ivory Park | Ekurhuleni District | 45 | 4 counts lower |
| Jeppe | Johannesburg District | 45 | 21 counts lower |
| Bishop Lavis | City of Cape Town District | 44 | 18 counts higher |
| Roodepoort | Johannesburg District | 43 | 5 counts higher |
| (Mpumalanga KZN | leThekwini District | 42 | 10 counts higher |
| Kwanobuhle | Nelson Mandela District | 39 | 6 counts higher |
| Mthatha | OR Tambo District | 39 | 10 counts lower |
| Philippi East | City of Cape Town | 38 | 11 counts lower |
| Lenasia | Johannesburg District | 36 | 19 counts higher |
| Kwamashu E | eThekwini District | 36 | 16 counts lower |
| Alexandra | Johannesburg District | 35 | 12 counts higher |
| Bhityi | /OR Tambo District | 34 | 11 counts higher |
| Verulam | eThekwini District | 34 | 5 counts higher |
| Lwandle | City of Cape Town District | 33 | 6 counts higher |
| Kleinvlei | Citv of Cape Town District | 33 | 3 counts higher |
Car Hijackings
When it comes to hijackings, Cape Town and Johannesburg are neck and neck, each with nine police stations reporting high numbers of incidents. In Cape Town, four of these stations recorded an increase in hijackings.
| Crime Category | District | Statistics | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ivory Park | Ekurhuleni District | 77 | -17,2% |
| Lingelethu-West | City of Cape Town District | 69 | 27.80% |
| Kwazakele | Nelson Mandela District | 67 | 31,4% |
| Delft | City of Cape Town District | 67 | 24.10% |
| Orange Farms | Sedibeng District | 66 | 3.10% |
| Tembisa | Ekurhuleni District | 63 | 3,3% |
| Mamelodi East | Tshwane District | 59 | -1,7% |
| Philippi East | City of Cape Town District | 54 | -39.30% |
| Umlazi | eThekwini District | 50 | -10,7% |
| Nyanga | City of Cape Town District | 49 | 38 counts lower |
| Akasia | Tshwane District | 47 | 15 counts higher |
| Jeppe | Johannesburg District | 47 | 2 counts lower |
| Lenasia | Johannesburg District | 46 | 9 counts lower |
| Mfuleni | City of Cape Town District | 45 | 12 counts lower |
| Sandringham | Johannesburg District | 43 | 6 counts higher |
| Vosloorus | Ekurhuleni District | 42 | 17 counts higher |
| Soshanguve | Tshwane District | 42 | 15 counts higher |
| Sandton | Johannesburg District | 42 | 14 counts higher |
| Gugulethu | City of Cape Town District | 41 | 9 counts higher |
| New Brighton | Nelson Mandela District | 41 | 11 counts lower |
| Germiston | Ekurhuleni District | 41 | 2 counts lower |
| Makhaza | City of Cape Town District | 40 | |
| JHB Central | Johannesburg District | 40 | 15 counts higher |
| Khayelitsha | City of Cape Town District | 39 | 15 counts higher |
| Midrand | Johannesburg District | 39 | 6 counts lower |
| Bramley | Johannesburg District | 38 | 22 counts lower |
| Olievenhoutbosch | Tshwane District | 37 | 5 counts lower |
| Harare | City of Cape Town District | 37 | 16 counts lower |
| Lenasia South | Johannesburg District | 37 | I 52 counts lower |
| Alexandra | Johannesburg District | 36 | 4 counts higher |
The most targeted vehicles were:
- Sedans, hatchbacks, and coupes (2,339)
- Bakkies and panel vans (1,500)
- SUVs and station wagons (326)
- Minibuses (303)
- Motorcycles (242)
- Trucks over 3,500 kg (37)
- Trailers (25)
- Buses (15)
- Industrial machinery (10)
Firearm Offences
Illegal firearm possession saw fewer declines compared to other crime categories. This issue is especially prominent in Cape Flats townships, with Delft, Mitchells Plain, and Mfuleni recording the highest numbers.
| Crime Category | District | Statistics | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delft | City of Cape Town District | 80 | 70,2% |
| Mitchells Plain | City of Cape Town District | 60 | 33.30% |
| Mfuleni | City of Cape Town District | 41 | 8 counts higher |
| Eldorado Park | Johannesburg District | 40 | 20 counts higher |
| Germiston | Ekurhuleni District | 39 | 5 counts higher |
| Witrivier | Ehlanzeni District | 37 | 36 counts higher |
| Bishop Lavis | City of Cape Town District | 36 | 15 counts lower |
| Umlazi | eThekwini District | 34 | 21 counts higher |
| Gugulethu | City of Cape Town District | 31 | 15 counts higher |
| Jeppe | Johannesburg District | 31 | 4 counts higher |
| Orange Farms | Sedibeng District | 29 | 13 counts higher |
| Atlantis | City of Cape Town District | 29 | 5 counts higher |
| Philippi East | City of Cape Town District | 28 | 8 counts higher |
| Primrose | Ekurhuleni District | 27 | 15 counts higher |
| Lusikisiki | OR Tambo District | 27 | 8 counts higher |
| JHB Central | Johannesburg District | 27 | 14 counts lower |
| Lenasia | Johannesburg District | 26 | 17 counts higher |
| Manenberg | City of Cape Town District | 26 | 4 counts lower |
| Philippi | City of Cape Town District | 25 | 19 counts lower |
| Kwadukuza | Ilembe District | 24 | 2 counts higher |
| Springs | Ekurhuleni District | 23 | 4 counts higher |
| Oumbu | OR Tambo District | 22 | 21 counts higher |
| Grassv Park | City of Cape Town District | 22 | 11 counts higher |
| Athlone | City of Cape Town District | 22 | 7 counts higher |
| Kwazakele | Nelson Mandela District | 22 | 2 counts higher |
| IMthatha | OR Tambo District | 21 | 6 counts higher |
| Roodepoort | Johannesburg District | 21 | 4 counts lower |
| Inanda | eThekwini District | 21 | 6 counts lower |
| Ezakheni | Uthukela District | 20 | 14 counts higher |
| Ilvorv Park | Ekurhuleni District | 20 | 1 count higher |
Drug-Related Crimes
Cape Town continues to lead when it comes to drug-related crime reports, with Mitchells Plain, Delft, and Cape Town Central among the busiest police stations in this category.
| Crime Category | District | Statistics | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchells Plain | City of Cape Town District | 1368 | 3,5% |
| Delft | City of Cape Town District | 1072 | 43.30% |
| Cape Town Central | City of Cape Town District | 921 | 94.70% |
| Atlantis | City of Cape Town District | 687 | 23,6% |
| Lentegeur | City of Cape Town District | 687 | 2.70% |
| Kraaifontein | City of Cape Town District | 546 | -36.50% |
| Kleinvlei | City of Cape Town District | 538 | 38.70% |
| Steenberg | City of Cape Town District | 537 | 0% |
| Hermanus | Overberg District | 497 | 70,2% |
| Gugulethu | City of Cape Town District | 186 | 259 counts higher |
| Khayelitsha | City of Cape Town District | 454 | 62 1% |
| Grassv Park | City of Cape Town District | 433 | 20,6% |
| Strand | City of Cape Town District | 437 | 14,0% |
| Worcester | Cape Winelands District | 398 | 26.80% |
| Nyanga | City of Cape Town District | 297 | 14.00% |
| JHB Central | Johannesburg District | 271 | 12.00% |
| Paarl East | Cape Winelands District | 346 | 40.70% |
| Oudtshoorn | Garden Route District | 335 | 4.00% |
| Sophia Town | Johannesburg District | 326 | 5% |
| Wynberg | City of Cape Town District | 317 | 82,2% |
| Bishop Lavis | City of Cape Town District | 285 | -33 1% |
| Parow | City of Cape Town District | 272 | 71% |
| Athlone | City of Cape Town District | 271 | -7 5% |
| Manenberg | City of Cape Town District | 262 | -45.10% |
| Mangaung | Mangaung District | 256 | 61.00% |
| Krugersdorp | West Rand District | 256 | 14.80% |
| Philippi | City of Cape Town District | 251 | 5.50% |
| Park Road | Mangaung District | 249 | 25,1% |
| George | Garden Route District | 247 | 50 3% |
| Vanderbijlpark | Sedibeng District | 21 | 11.50% |
You can read Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu’s, speech at the release of the third quarter Crime Statistics here.
Source: Police Recorded Crime Statistics Republic Of South Africa: Third Quarter of 2024-2025 Financial Year.
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