Contact-Related Crimes
Public violence in South Africa
Violent acts committed in public spaces
Total Public violence (2025)
699
0.4%
Rate per 100k
1
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 4,596 | 8 | — |
| FY2019 | 2,216 | 4 | -51.8% |
| FY2020 | 1,816 | 3 | -18.1% |
| FY2021 | 2,956 | 5 | +62.8% |
| FY2022 | 1,640 | 3 | -44.5% |
| FY2023 | 1,176 | 2 | -28.3% |
| FY2024 | 928 | 2 | -21.1% |
| FY2025 | 932 | 2 | +0.4% |
Overall change since FY2019: -68.5%
Public violence by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 222 | 3 |
| 2 | Free State | 50 | 2 |
| 3 | Eastern Cape | 89 | 1 |
| 4 | Gauteng | 125 | 1 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 94 | 1 |
| 6 | Mpumalanga | 28 | 1 |
| 7 | North West | 49 | 1 |
| 8 | Northern Cape | 17 | 1 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 25 | 0 |
Top 20 Precincts — Public violence
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zamdela | free-state | 7 | 29 |
| 2 | Manenberg | western-cape | 22 | 29 |
| 3 | Cloetesville | western-cape | 9 | 24 |
| 4 | St Helena Bay | western-cape | 4 | 20 |
| 5 | Worcester | western-cape | 7 | 19 |
| 6 | Swartkops | eastern-cape | 11 | 18 |
| 7 | Mqanduli | eastern-cape | 12 | 16 |
| 8 | Ventersdorp | north-west | 8 | 16 |
| 9 | Joza | eastern-cape | 2 | 15 |
| 10 | Willowmore | eastern-cape | 2 | 15 |
| 11 | Springbok | northern-cape | 1 | 15 |
| 12 | Elsies River | western-cape | 11 | 15 |
| 13 | Malmesbury | western-cape | 3 | 15 |
| 14 | Alice | eastern-cape | 3 | 14 |
| 15 | Rouxville | free-state | 1 | 14 |
| 16 | Zastron | free-state | 1 | 14 |
| 17 | Boithuso | free-state | 5 | 13 |
| 18 | Paarl East | western-cape | 5 | 13 |
| 19 | Ngcobo | eastern-cape | 3 | 12 |
| 20 | Maokeng | free-state | 3 | 12 |
About Public violence in South Africa
Violent acts committed in public spaces. In 2025, there were 699 reported cases of public violence across South Africa, representing a rate of 1 per 100,000 population. This represents a 0.4% increase compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact-Related Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Public violence | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 296 | 4 |
| 2 | Eastern Cape | 119 | 2 |
| 3 | Free State | 67 | 2 |
| 4 | North West | 65 | 2 |
| 5 | Northern Cape | 23 | 2 |
| 6 | Gauteng | 167 | 1 |
| 7 | KwaZulu-Natal | 125 | 1 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 33 | 1 |
| 9 | Mpumalanga | 37 | 1 |