Contact Crimes
Carjacking in South Africa
Theft of motor vehicle through force or threat
Total Carjacking (2025)
13,855
11.7%
Rate per 100k
23
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 31,248 | 52 | — |
| FY2019 | 18,197 | 30 | -41.8% |
| FY2020 | 16,787 | 28 | -7.7% |
| FY2021 | 21,015 | 35 | +25.2% |
| FY2022 | 22,800 | 38 | +8.5% |
| FY2023 | 23,361 | 39 | +2.5% |
| FY2024 | 20,923 | 35 | -10.4% |
| FY2025 | 18,473 | 31 | -11.7% |
Overall change since FY2019: -23.9%
Carjacking by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | 7,775 | 48 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 1,897 | 27 |
| 3 | KwaZulu-Natal | 1,729 | 15 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 962 | 14 |
| 5 | Mpumalanga | 626 | 13 |
| 6 | North West | 470 | 11 |
| 7 | Free State | 138 | 5 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 235 | 4 |
| 9 | Northern Cape | 23 | 2 |
Top 20 Precincts — Carjacking
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lingelethu-West | western-cape | 185 | 244 |
| 2 | Delft | western-cape | 182 | 240 |
| 3 | Kwazakele | eastern-cape | 142 | 227 |
| 4 | Nyanga | western-cape | 160 | 211 |
| 5 | Mfuleni | western-cape | 141 | 186 |
| 6 | Harare | western-cape | 133 | 176 |
| 7 | New Brighton | eastern-cape | 108 | 172 |
| 8 | Mamelodi East | gauteng | 188 | 168 |
| 9 | Umlazi | kwazulu-natal | 161 | 159 |
| 10 | Kempton Park | gauteng | 165 | 158 |
| 11 | Orange Farms | gauteng | 131 | 154 |
| 12 | Ivory Park | gauteng | 154 | 148 |
| 13 | Alexandra | gauteng | 164 | 143 |
| 14 | Pretoria West | gauteng | 161 | 143 |
| 15 | Heidelberg (Gp) | gauteng | 119 | 140 |
| 16 | Gugulethu | western-cape | 106 | 140 |
| 17 | Tembisa | gauteng | 145 | 139 |
| 18 | Jeppe | gauteng | 150 | 131 |
| 19 | Alberton | gauteng | 134 | 129 |
| 20 | Lenasia | gauteng | 147 | 129 |
About Carjacking in South Africa
Theft of motor vehicle through force or threat. In 2025, there were 13,855 reported cases of carjacking across South Africa, representing a rate of 23 per 100,000 population. This represents a 11.7% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Carjacking | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | 10,367 | 64 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 2,529 | 36 |
| 3 | KwaZulu-Natal | 2,305 | 20 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 1,283 | 19 |
| 5 | Mpumalanga | 835 | 18 |
| 6 | North West | 627 | 15 |
| 7 | Free State | 184 | 6 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 313 | 5 |
| 9 | Northern Cape | 31 | 2 |