Mthatha Precinct
OR Tambo|12 suburbs
How much crime was reported in the Mthatha precinct?
The Mthatha SAPS precinct recorded 4,672 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Very High volume for Eastern Cape
Largest categories
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. These figures cover the whole Mthatha precinct area, and all 12 suburbs in it share 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 Mthatha compares to other Eastern Cape precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in OR Tambo →
View 12 suburbs in this precinct
All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level.
Crime volume
Very High
in Eastern Cape
Reported crimes
4,672
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year
vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
↑ 4.4%
more crimes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
vs pre-COVID baseline
↑ 5.1%
above 2018-2019
Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release
Crime in Mthatha rose 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
What's changing?
Biggest changes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
Aggravated robbery dropped significantly (-50) while Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased (+213).
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs+213
Serious assault+56
Aggravated robbery-50
Rape-37
Crime trend by year
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
| Crime category | Reported count |
|---|---|
| Serious assault | 664 |
| Common assault | 630 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 485 |
| Residential burglary | 338 |
| Stock-theft | 331 |
| Malicious damage | 301 |
| Aggravated robbery | 295 |
| Carjacking | 50 |
| Truck hijacking | 0 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 63 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 33 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 1 |
| Bank robbery | 0 |
| Components of aggravated robbery above, already counted in that total. Not additional crimes. | |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 244 |
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serious assault | 664 | 608 | +56 |
| Common assault | 630 | 607 | +23 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 485 | 456 | +29 |
| Residential burglary | 338 | 372 | -34 |
| Stock-theft | 331 | 325 | +6 |
| Malicious damage | 301 | 294 | +7 |
| Aggravated robbery | 295 | 345 | -50 |
| Carjacking | 50 | 62 | -12 |
| Truck hijacking | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 63 | 66 | -3 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 33 | 35 | -2 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Bank robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Components of aggravated robbery above, already counted in that total. Not additional crimes. SAPS reports these both individually and within the aggravated-robbery figure. | |||
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 244 | 31 | +213 |
| Commercial crime | 231 | 211 | +20 |
| Rape | 219 | 256 | -37 |
| Murder | 172 | 153 | +19 |
| Drug-related crime | 156 | 123 | +33 |
| Theft from vehicle | 123 | 141 | -18 |
| Business burglary | 94 | 78 | +16 |
| Common robbery | 79 | 80 | -1 |
| Attempted murder | 65 | 74 | -9 |
| Vehicle theft | 56 | 52 | +4 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 46 | 75 | -29 |
| Crimen injuria | 39 | 61 | -22 |
| Culpable homicide | 39 | 45 | -6 |
| Kidnapping | 23 | 37 | -14 |
| Sexual assault | 21 | 20 | +1 |
| Arson | 8 | 19 | -11 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 4 | 3 | +1 |
| Shoplifting | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 2 | 5 | -3 |
| Public violence | 2 | 4 | -2 |
| Contact sexual offences | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Abduction | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Share this page
Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in OR Tambo
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
See Mthatha on the national crime map
View this precinct's boundary in context, with a year-by-year timeline back to 2013/14 and every other Eastern Cape precinct around it.
Open Mthatha on the crime map →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Mthatha
The Mthatha SAPS precinct recorded 4,672 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The largest categories were Serious assault (664), Common assault (630), All theft not mentioned elsewhere (485). These are whole-precinct raw counts of reported crime, not adjusted for population.
The Mthatha SAPS precinct recorded 4,672 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026 — up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. 172 murders were reported. It sits in the "Very High" crime-volume tier for Eastern Cape precincts. SafeSuburb presents SAPS figures as published — we do not rate precincts safe or unsafe. SAPS reports crime at precinct level, not per suburb, so every suburb in this precinct shares the same data.
The Mthatha SAPS precinct reported 4,672 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Crime is up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Crime in the Mthatha SAPS precinct has increased 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The precinct reported 4,672 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
The most frequently reported crime category in the Mthatha SAPS precinct is Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.
The Mthatha SAPS precinct covers: CBD, Fort Gale, Hillcrest, Mthatha, Mthatha Central, Mthatha North, Ncise, Ngangelizwe, Slovo Park, Southernwood, Umtata, Viedgesville. All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level, not per suburb.
Check another area
Data Sources & Notes
- Crime data: SAPS quarterly crime statistics
- SAPS data reflects reported crime only. Crime reporting rates vary by area. How much crime goes unreported? →
- This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for safety or property decisions. Full disclaimer
- Full methodology →