Property-Related Crimes
Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle in South Africa
Stealing of motor vehicles and motorcycles
Total Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle (2025)
22,726
9.1%
Rate per 100k
38
Provinces Affected
9
Year-over-Year Changes
| Year | Total Cases | Rate / 100k | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 95,712 | 158 | — |
| FY2019 | 47,023 | 78 | -50.9% |
| FY2020 | 35,049 | 58 | -25.5% |
| FY2021 | 37,457 | 62 | +6.9% |
| FY2022 | 37,571 | 62 | +0.3% |
| FY2023 | 37,773 | 62 | +0.5% |
| FY2024 | 33,332 | 55 | -11.8% |
| FY2025 | 30,301 | 50 | -9.1% |
Overall change since FY2019: -51.7%
Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle by Province
| # | Province | Total Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | 11,935 | 74 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 2,987 | 42 |
| 3 | KwaZulu-Natal | 4,048 | 35 |
| 4 | North West | 1,029 | 25 |
| 5 | Mpumalanga | 905 | 19 |
| 6 | Free State | 485 | 17 |
| 7 | Eastern Cape | 826 | 12 |
| 8 | Northern Cape | 100 | 8 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 411 | 7 |
Top 20 Precincts — Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle
| # | Precinct | Province | Cases | Rate / 100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OR Tambo International Airport | gauteng | 41 | 4,100,000 |
| 2 | King Shaka International Airport | kwazulu-natal | 8 | 800,000 |
| 3 | Maydon Wharf | kwazulu-natal | 5 | 500,000 |
| 4 | Chatsworth | kwazulu-natal | 471 | 467 |
| 5 | Krugersdorp | gauteng | 311 | 436 |
| 6 | Brooklyn | gauteng | 472 | 421 |
| 7 | Rustenburg | north-west | 188 | 336 |
| 8 | Durban Central | kwazulu-natal | 293 | 290 |
| 9 | Garsfontein | gauteng | 303 | 270 |
| 10 | Honeydew | gauteng | 309 | 270 |
| 11 | Stellenbosch | western-cape | 99 | 264 |
| 12 | Roodepoort | gauteng | 289 | 253 |
| 13 | Phoenix | kwazulu-natal | 238 | 236 |
| 14 | Hartbeespoortdam | north-west | 129 | 230 |
| 15 | Vanderbijlpark | gauteng | 186 | 219 |
| 16 | Springs | gauteng | 220 | 211 |
| 17 | Kempton Park | gauteng | 218 | 209 |
| 18 | Benoni | gauteng | 217 | 208 |
| 19 | Berea | kwazulu-natal | 209 | 207 |
| 20 | Witbank | mpumalanga | 138 | 200 |
About Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle in South Africa
Stealing of motor vehicles and motorcycles. In 2025, there were 22,726 reported cases of theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle across South Africa, representing a rate of 38 per 100,000 population. This represents a 9.1% decrease compared to 2024. This crime falls under the "Property-Related Crimes" classification in SAPS reporting.
Crime Type by Province
| Rank | Province | Total Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle | Rate per 100k |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauteng | 15,913 | 99 |
| 2 | Western Cape | 3,983 | 56 |
| 3 | KwaZulu-Natal | 5,397 | 47 |
| 4 | North West | 1,372 | 33 |
| 5 | Mpumalanga | 1,207 | 25 |
| 6 | Free State | 647 | 22 |
| 7 | Eastern Cape | 1,101 | 16 |
| 8 | Northern Cape | 133 | 10 |
| 9 | Limpopo | 548 | 9 |