Crime Detected by Police
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in South Africa
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated
Total Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (2025)
65,690
35.3%
Rate per 100k
109
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 166,256 | 275 | — |
| FY2019 | 94,273 | 156 | -43.3% |
| FY2020 | 35,838 | 59 | -62.0% |
| FY2021 | 44,472 | 74 | +24.1% |
| FY2022 | 42,402 | 70 | -4.7% |
| FY2023 | 60,287 | 100 | +42.2% |
| FY2024 | 64,751 | 107 | +7.4% |
| FY2025 | 87,587 | 145 | +35.3% |
Overall change since FY2019: -30.3%
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | 26,033 | 162 |
| 2 | Free State | 3,214 | 110 |
| 3 | Western Cape | 7,720 | 109 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 7,089 | 105 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 10,445 | 91 |
| 6 | North West | 3,585 | 87 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 4,235 | 71 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 2,926 | 62 |
| 9 | Northern Cape | 443 | 34 |
Top 20 Precincts — Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maydon Wharf | kwazulu-natal | 14 | 1,400,000 |
| 2 | OR Tambo International Airport | gauteng | 7 | 700,000 |
| 3 | King Shaka International Airport | kwazulu-natal | 1 | 100,000 |
| 4 | Madadeni | kwazulu-natal | 669 | 1,071 |
| 5 | Komani | eastern-cape | 257 | 1,024 |
| 6 | George | western-cape | 362 | 907 |
| 7 | Grabouw | western-cape | 211 | 881 |
| 8 | Hermanus | western-cape | 211 | 881 |
| 9 | Osizweni | kwazulu-natal | 531 | 850 |
| 10 | Margate | kwazulu-natal | 374 | 822 |
| 11 | Harrismith | free-state | 214 | 798 |
| 12 | Dutywa | eastern-cape | 173 | 794 |
| 13 | Madeira | eastern-cape | 564 | 751 |
| 14 | Alice | eastern-cape | 163 | 748 |
| 15 | Ngcobo | eastern-cape | 183 | 729 |
| 16 | Sunnyside | gauteng | 817 | 728 |
| 17 | East London | eastern-cape | 293 | 721 |
| 18 | Beaufort West | western-cape | 146 | 714 |
| 19 | Mahwelereng | limpopo | 217 | 711 |
| 20 | Knysna | western-cape | 282 | 706 |
About Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in South Africa
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated. In 2025, there were 65,690 reported cases of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs across South Africa, representing a rate of 109 per 100,000 population. This represents a 35.3% increase compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Crime Detected by Police" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | 34,711 | 216 |
| 2 | Free State | 4,285 | 146 |
| 3 | Western Cape | 10,293 | 145 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 9,452 | 140 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 13,927 | 121 |
| 6 | North West | 4,780 | 116 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 5,647 | 95 |
| 8 | Mpumalanga | 3,901 | 82 |
| 9 | Northern Cape | 591 | 45 |