Murder in South Africa
SAPS recorded 5,424 murder cases across South Africa in Apr–Jun 2026, down 6% vs Apr–Jun 2025.
Latest quarter (Apr–Jun 2026): 5,424 murder cases, down 6% vs Apr–Jun 2025.
Ranked by province below.
Note: Raw reported counts — not adjusted for population. Provinces with more residents will naturally report more cases.
Is murder rising or falling in South Africa?
Dashed: Apr–Jun 2026 only (1 of 4 quarters published) — a partial year, not comparable with the full years before it.
Which provinces report the most murder?
Bars coloured by direction vs the previous year: green = improved, red = worsened, grey = within ±2%. Sorted by Apr–Jun 2026 count.
| Province | Apr–Jun 2026 | vs Apr–Jun 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Gauteng | 1,276 | -10.7% |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 1,179 | -1.7% |
| Western Cape | 1,071 | -6.7% |
| Eastern Cape | 1,044 | -4.7% |
| Mpumalanga | 262 | +5.6% |
| North West | 223 | +8.8% |
| Limpopo | 161 | -13% |
| Free State | 156 | -16.1% |
| Northern Cape | 52 | -29.7% |