Zele Crime Statistics

Zele, East London, Eastern Cape — Latest SAPS Crime Data

C53/100

Moderate

Total Crimes

586

-8.4% vs 2024

Crime Rate

1,922

per 100k

Safety Score

53/100

Grade C — Moderate

Population

40,636

Crime Breakdown — Zele (2025)

Crime Category	Group	Cases	% of Total
Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm	contact	207	35.3%
Burglary at residential premises	property	120	20.5%
Malicious damage to property	contact-related	71	12.1%
Common assault	contact	60	10.2%
All theft not mentioned elsewhere	other-serious	59	10.1%
Stock Theft	property	47	8.0%
Crimen Injuria	contact-related	36	6.1%
Drug-Related Crime	detected	32	5.5%
Rape	contact	27	4.6%
Burglary at non-residential premises	property	16	2.7%
Common robbery	contact	11	1.9%
Murder	contact	11	1.9%
Commercial Crime	other-serious	9	1.5%
Kidnapping	contact	9	1.5%
Attempted murder	contact	8	1.4%
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs	detected	8	1.4%
Other aggravated robbery	other-serious	8	1.4%
Robbery at residential premises	contact	8	1.4%
Attempted Sexual Offences	contact	7	1.2%
Theft out of or from motor vehicle	property	7	1.2%
Sexual Assault	contact	5	0.9%
Culpable homicide	other-serious	4	0.7%
Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition	detected	4	0.7%
Public violence	contact-related	3	0.5%
Robbery at non-residential premises	contact	3	0.5%
Arson	contact-related	1	0.2%
Carjacking	contact	1	0.2%
Neglect and ill-treatment of children	contact	1	0.2%
Abduction	contact	0	0.0%
Bank Robbery	contact	0	0.0%
Contact Sexual Offences	contact	0	0.0%
Robbery of cash in transit	contact	0	0.0%
Sexual offences detected as a result of police action	detected	0	0.0%
Shoplifting	other-serious	0	0.0%
Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle	property	0	0.0%
Truck hijacking	contact	0	0.0%

Zele Crime Trend (2018-2025)

Zele Crime Breakdown (2025)

Is Zele Safe?

Zele has moderate safety levels.

Zele scores 53/100 on our safety index, earning a Grade C (Moderate). The crime rate in Zele is 1,922 per 100,000 people, which is near the national average. Exercise normal precautions when moving around Zele, especially at night.

vs National Average

-37%

Well below average

Year-on-Year

-8.4%

Crime decreasing

Top Crime

Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm

35% of all crime

Rank in East London

8/22

Mid-range

Crime breakdown in Zele

In 2025, Zele recorded 586 total crimes. The most prevalent crime in Zele is Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm with 207 reported cases (35.3% of all crime in Zele), followed by Burglary at residential premises at 120 cases (20.5%) and Malicious damage to property at 71 cases (12.1%).

Compared to 2024, crime in Zele has decreased by 8.4%, a positive sign for the Zele community.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common crimes in Zele?

The most reported crimes in Zele are Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm (207 cases), Burglary at residential premises (120 cases), Malicious damage to property (71 cases). These figures are based on 2025 SAPS data.

How does Zele compare to other areas in East London?

Zele has a crime rate of 1,922 per 100k. Compared to other precincts in East London, Berlin is safer with a rate of 0 per 100k.

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Other Precincts in East London

Precinct	Population	Crimes	Rate	Safety
Berlin	40,636	0	0	N/A (0)
King William's Town	40,636	0	0	N/A (0)
Macleantown	40,636	180	591	A (83)
Chalumna	40,636	184	603	A (83)
Ntabozuko	40,636	227	746	B (79)
Tamara	40,636	287	943	B (74)
Punzana	40,636	291	955	B (74)
Kidds Beach	40,636	296	972	B (73)
Ndevana	40,636	573	1,880	C (54)
Bhisho	40,636	779	2,557	D (43)