Property-Related Crimes
Stock Theft in South Africa
Theft of livestock
Total Stock Theft (2025)
18,134
9.0%
Rate per 100k
30
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 65,524 | 108 | — |
| FY2019 | 30,981 | 51 | -52.7% |
| FY2020 | 28,627 | 47 | -7.6% |
| FY2021 | 28,099 | 46 | -1.8% |
| FY2022 | 28,133 | 47 | +0.1% |
| FY2023 | 28,796 | 48 | +2.4% |
| FY2024 | 26,580 | 44 | -7.7% |
| FY2025 | 24,179 | 40 | -9.0% |
Overall change since FY2019: -41.5%
Stock Theft by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Cape | 5,225 | 78 |
| 2 | Free State | 1,820 | 62 |
| 3 | North West | 2,136 | 52 |
| 4 | Northern Cape | 536 | 41 |
| 5 | KwaZulu-Natal | 4,181 | 36 |
| 6 | Mpumalanga | 1,731 | 36 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 1,557 | 26 |
| 8 | Western Cape | 487 | 7 |
| 9 | Gauteng | 461 | 3 |
Top 20 Precincts — Stock Theft
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zastron | free-state | 55 | 792 |
| 2 | Ngqayi | eastern-cape | 104 | 688 |
| 3 | Nqanqarhu | eastern-cape | 104 | 688 |
| 4 | Taung | north-west | 155 | 580 |
| 5 | Qumbu | eastern-cape | 435 | 579 |
| 6 | Tlokoeng | eastern-cape | 82 | 542 |
| 7 | Ngcobo | eastern-cape | 130 | 518 |
| 8 | Dutywa | eastern-cape | 109 | 500 |
| 9 | Smithfield | free-state | 34 | 490 |
| 10 | KwaBhaca | eastern-cape | 235 | 452 |
| 11 | Tsolo | eastern-cape | 334 | 445 |
| 12 | Bhityi | eastern-cape | 310 | 413 |
| 13 | Koffiefontein | free-state | 27 | 389 |
| 14 | Mthatha | eastern-cape | 282 | 376 |
| 15 | Reddersburg | free-state | 25 | 360 |
| 16 | Ngqamakhwe | eastern-cape | 73 | 335 |
| 17 | Pudimoe | north-west | 81 | 303 |
| 18 | Pofadder | northern-cape | 19 | 293 |
| 19 | Aliwal North | eastern-cape | 42 | 278 |
| 20 | Harrismith | free-state | 74 | 276 |
About Stock Theft in South Africa
Theft of livestock. In 2025, there were 18,134 reported cases of stock theft across South Africa, representing a rate of 30 per 100,000 population. This represents a 9% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Property-Related Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Stock Theft | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Cape | 6,967 | 103 |
| 2 | Free State | 2,427 | 83 |
| 3 | North West | 2,848 | 69 |
| 4 | Northern Cape | 715 | 55 |
| 5 | Mpumalanga | 2,308 | 49 |
| 6 | KwaZulu-Natal | 5,575 | 48 |
| 7 | Limpopo | 2,076 | 35 |
| 8 | Western Cape | 649 | 9 |
| 9 | Gauteng | 615 | 4 |