Contact Crimes
Sexual Assault in South Africa
Assault of a sexual nature
Total Sexual Assault (2025)
5,610
2.1%
Rate per 100k
9
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 16,756 | 28 | — |
| FY2019 | 7,833 | 13 | -53.3% |
| FY2020 | 7,128 | 12 | -9.0% |
| FY2021 | 7,995 | 13 | +12.2% |
| FY2022 | 7,705 | 13 | -3.6% |
| FY2023 | 7,599 | 13 | -1.4% |
| FY2024 | 7,328 | 12 | -3.6% |
| FY2025 | 7,480 | 12 | +2.1% |
Overall change since FY2019: -28.4%
Sexual Assault by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 1,150 | 16 |
| 2 | Northern Cape | 194 | 15 |
| 3 | Free State | 351 | 12 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 670 | 10 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 1,031 | 9 |
| 6 | Gauteng | 1,232 | 8 |
| 7 | Mpumalanga | 388 | 8 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 340 | 6 |
| 9 | North West | 254 | 6 |
Top 20 Precincts — Sexual Assault
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OR Tambo International Airport | gauteng | 2 | 200,000 |
| 2 | King Shaka International Airport | kwazulu-natal | 1 | 100,000 |
| 3 | Nababeep | northern-cape | 8 | 124 |
| 4 | Douglas | northern-cape | 8 | 100 |
| 5 | Kimberley | northern-cape | 29 | 93 |
| 6 | Ermelo | mpumalanga | 27 | 80 |
| 7 | Sterkspruit | eastern-cape | 12 | 79 |
| 8 | Galeshewe | northern-cape | 24 | 77 |
| 9 | Vredenburg | western-cape | 15 | 75 |
| 10 | Worcester | western-cape | 28 | 75 |
| 11 | Smithfield | free-state | 5 | 72 |
| 12 | Jeffreys Bay | eastern-cape | 9 | 69 |
| 13 | Graaff-Reinet | eastern-cape | 8 | 62 |
| 14 | Calvinia | northern-cape | 4 | 62 |
| 15 | Malmesbury | western-cape | 11 | 55 |
| 16 | Kenton On Sea | eastern-cape | 7 | 54 |
| 17 | Makhanda | eastern-cape | 7 | 54 |
| 18 | Embalenhle | mpumalanga | 18 | 53 |
| 19 | Park Road | free-state | 20 | 52 |
| 20 | Mountain Rise | kwazulu-natal | 25 | 51 |
About Sexual Assault in South Africa
Assault of a sexual nature. In 2025, there were 5,610 reported cases of sexual assault across South Africa, representing a rate of 9 per 100,000 population. This represents a 2.1% increase compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Contact Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Sexual Assault | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Cape | 1,533 | 22 |
| 2 | Northern Cape | 259 | 20 |
| 3 | Free State | 468 | 16 |
| 4 | Eastern Cape | 893 | 13 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 1,375 | 12 |
| 6 | Mpumalanga | 517 | 11 |
| 7 | Gauteng | 1,643 | 10 |
| 8 | Limpopo | 453 | 8 |
| 9 | North West | 339 | 8 |