Contact Crimes
Common assault in South Africa
Assault not involving serious injury
Total Common assault (2025)
140,253
2.6%
Rate per 100k
232
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 351,688 | 582 | — |
| FY2019 | 165,643 | 274 | -52.9% |
| FY2020 | 149,610 | 247 | -9.7% |
| FY2021 | 170,829 | 282 | +14.2% |
| FY2022 | 186,590 | 309 | +9.2% |
| FY2023 | 188,611 | 312 | +1.1% |
| FY2024 | 192,088 | 318 | +1.8% |
| FY2025 | 187,004 | 309 | -2.6% |
Overall change since FY2019: -15.3%
Common assault by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 32,280 | 454 |
| 2 | Free State | 10,530 | 360 |
| 3 | Northern Cape | 4,053 | 311 |
| 4 | North West | 9,178 | 223 |
| 5 | Gauteng | 35,490 | 220 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 22,809 | 198 |
| 7 | Eastern Cape | 11,710 | 174 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 6,579 | 139 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 7,624 | 129 |
Top 20 Precincts — Common assault
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OR Tambo International Airport | gauteng | 20 | 2,000,000 |
| 2 | Maydon Wharf | kwazulu-natal | 13 | 1,300,000 |
| 3 | King Shaka International Airport | kwazulu-natal | 7 | 700,000 |
| 4 | Joza | eastern-cape | 302 | 2,322 |
| 5 | Beaufort West | western-cape | 400 | 1,957 |
| 6 | Worcester | western-cape | 703 | 1,874 |
| 7 | Mfuleni | western-cape | 1,369 | 1,807 |
| 8 | Graaff-Reinet | eastern-cape | 232 | 1,784 |
| 9 | Sunrise | northern-cape | 139 | 1,733 |
| 10 | Makhanda | eastern-cape | 213 | 1,638 |
| 11 | Thabong | free-state | 529 | 1,634 |
| 12 | Paarl East | western-cape | 609 | 1,624 |
| 13 | Plessislaer | kwazulu-natal | 789 | 1,596 |
| 14 | Mitchells Plain | western-cape | 1,209 | 1,596 |
| 15 | Maokeng | free-state | 385 | 1,586 |
| 16 | Hermanus | western-cape | 369 | 1,540 |
| 17 | Vredenburg | western-cape | 297 | 1,493 |
| 18 | Malmesbury | western-cape | 296 | 1,488 |
| 19 | Calvinia | northern-cape | 87 | 1,344 |
| 20 | Galeshewe | northern-cape | 403 | 1,299 |
About Common assault in South Africa
Assault not involving serious injury. In 2025, there were 140,253 reported cases of common assault across South Africa, representing a rate of 232 per 100,000 population. This represents a 2.6% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Common assault | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 43,040 | 605 |
| 2 | Free State | 14,040 | 479 |
| 3 | Northern Cape | 5,404 | 415 |
| 4 | North West | 12,237 | 298 |
| 5 | Gauteng | 47,320 | 294 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 30,412 | 264 |
| 7 | Eastern Cape | 15,613 | 232 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 8,772 | 185 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 10,165 | 172 |