1. Kidnappings on the Rise

Between April 2022 and March 2023, South Africa recorded over 15 300 kidnapping cases, with Gauteng alone accounting for more than half of these. Alarmingly, kidnappings have increased by 260 percent over the past decade, with a further 11 percent rise recorded between October and December 2023. This equates to approximately 51 kidnappings per day.

2. High Violent Crime, Though with Some Improvements

South Africa remains one of the countries with the highest violent crime rates in the world. In the fourth quarter of 2024, there were 5 727 reported murders and 31 749 aggravated robberies. While these figures remain high, they reflect a 12.4 percent and 10.4 percent decrease respectively compared to the same period the previous year.

3. Children and Vulnerable Groups in Focus

Crimes against minors are particularly concerning. Nearly 45 percent of all reported crimes against children involved common assault or grievous bodily harm in 2022–2023. Additionally, kidnappings involving minors increased from 0.8 percent to 3.8 percent of total reported crimes between 2010 and 2023.

4. Farm Attacks and Mass Shootings

Rural areas remain vulnerable to violent attacks, including farm invasions. In urban centres, mass shootings have also been reported, including a tragic incident in Durban where eight lives were lost in a single event.