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Motherwell Crime Statistics

Motherwell Precinct |Nelson Mandela Bay
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year SAPS Data Report error

How much crime was reported in Motherwell?

The Motherwell SAPS precinct recorded 1,894 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, down 5.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.

Very High volume for Eastern CapeHigh nationally

Largest categories

Drug-related crime 351Aggravated robbery 217Serious assault 185

Whole-precinct figures, reported crime only, raw counts. Source: SAPS quarterly crime statistics (saps.gov.za), Apr 2025–Mar 2026.

What this data can't tell you

  • Exactly where in the precinct crimes happened. SAPS reports crime per police precinct, not per suburb. These figures cover the whole Motherwell precinct area, and every suburb in it shares them.
  • Crime that was never reported. SAPS counts crimes reported to the police. Not all crime is reported, so actual incidence is higher. Reporting rates also vary by area and crime type, so there is no reliable way to correct for it. How we handle this →
  • How crime compares per resident. These are raw counts with no population adjustment. Precincts serving more people naturally record more crimes. The trend over time, which compares this precinct against its own history, is the more reliable signal.
See how Motherwell compares to other Eastern Cape precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in Nelson Mandela Bay → See how Gqeberha suburbs rank →

Crime volume

Very High

in Eastern Cape · High nationally

Reported crimes

1,894

Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year

vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

↓ 5.3%

fewer crimes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

vs its pre-COVID level

↓ 47.2%

below 2018-2019

Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release

Crime in the Motherwell precinct area (covering Motherwell) decreased 5.3% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025, though crime levels remain very high relative to other precincts.
Total crime: 285% above provincial median
Contact crime: 318% above provincial median
Property crime: 52% above provincial median

Crime by type

Change vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 by crime category. Murder is shown separately but is included in the violent crime total.

Murder

119

↓ 13.1% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Violent crime

798

↓ 16.8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Property crime

157

↑ 4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Other (drug, commercial, theft)

939

↑ 5.6% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Crime breakdown

Top reported offences in 2025-2026

Top reported crime categories in Motherwell precinct, 2025-2026
Crime categoryReported count
Drug-related crime		351
Aggravated robbery		217
Serious assault		185
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs		169
Common assault		121
Murder		119
Commercial crime		113
All theft not mentioned elsewhere		99
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Compare with nearby areas

Other precincts in Nelson Mandela Bay

Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)

Ikamvelihle

901 crimes ↓ 4.7%

Chatty

902 crimes → 0.6%

Despatch

1,030 crimes ↓ 6%

Swartkops

1,484 crimes ↓ 8.6%

Kwadwesi

1,546 crimes ↓ 2.7%

Kamesh

1,785 crimes ↓ 4.8%
See all precincts in Nelson Mandela Bay →

Compare Motherwell

Side-by-side crime statistics with nearby suburbs

More comparisons →

See Motherwell's precinct on the crime map

View the precinct boundary in context, with a year-by-year timeline back to 2013/14 and surrounding precincts around it.

Open Motherwell on the crime map →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about crime in Motherwell

Check another area

Data Sources & Notes

Economic Context

Property affordability is shaped by SA's broader economic environment.