Safest Suburbs in Durban? What SAPS Data Actually Shows (2025/26)
In Durban, SAPS data does not rank suburbs as safe or unsafe.
It can show which precincts record the least reported crime, which have improved fastest over five years, and which are heading the other way. That's what this page shows: official SAPS figures, no scores, no verdicts.
How to read this data: figures are raw reported crime counts from SAPS, not adjusted for population. A precinct serving more residents will naturally report more crimes in absolute terms. Volume tier (Very Low to Very High) is a quintile within KwaZulu-Natal, not a safety verdict. Methodology →
Most Improved, 5-Year Trend
Durban precincts with the largest decrease in total reported crime over five years, based on SAPS data through Apr 2025–Mar 2026. A 5-year trend is a steadier signal than one year's swing.
| # | Precinct | 5-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umbilo | -54.2% |
| 2 | Point | -51.5% |
| 3 | Berea | -44.6% |
| 4 | Kwamashu E | -37.9% |
| 5 | Brighton Beach | -36.9% |
| 6 | Durban Central | -34.2% |
| 7 | Montclair | -33.5% |
| 8 | Mayville-Kzn | -28.7% |
| 9 | Umlazi | -28.3% |
| 10 | Newlands East | -27.0% |
| 11 | Mariannhill | -26.0% |
| 12 | Amanzimtoti | -24.6% |
| 13 | Westville | -23.0% |
| 14 | Hillcrest | -19.8% |
| 15 | Malvern | -19.0% |
Fastest Rising, 5-Year Trend
Durban precincts with the largest increase in total reported crime over five years, based on SAPS data through Apr 2025–Mar 2026.
| # | Precinct | 5-year change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayview | +39.6% |
| 2 | Verulam | +36.6% |
| 3 | Tongaat | +28.6% |
| 4 | Chatsworth | +24.8% |
| 5 | Kwadabeka | +17.4% |
| 6 | Lamontville | +17.3% |
| 7 | Bhekithemba | +11.4% |
| 8 | Mpumalanga (KZN) | +10.7% |
| 9 | Inanda | +9.7% |
| 10 | Kwamakhutha | +5.2% |
| 11 | Durban North | +3.9% |
Lowest Recorded Crime Volume
Durban precincts with the fewest total reported crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Raw counts: smaller or less densely populated precincts will naturally report fewer crimes, so a low count is not a safety verdict.
| # | Precinct | Total crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umsunduzi | 418 |
| 2 | Hammarsdale | 467 |
| 3 | Inchanga | 703 |
| 4 | Umbumbulu | 793 |
| 5 | Lamontville | 1,094 |
| 6 | Malvern | 1,115 |
| 7 | Kwandengezi | 1,115 |
| 8 | Folweni | 1,186 |
| 9 | Mayville-Kzn | 1,490 |
| 10 | Bellair | 1,555 |
| 11 | Berea | 1,734 |
| 12 | Westville | 1,742 |
| 13 | Bayview | 1,795 |
| 14 | Montclair | 1,873 |
| 15 | Brighton Beach | 1,918 |
Highest Recorded Crime Volume
Durban precincts with the most total reported crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. These are typically the precincts serving the largest populations. See the trend rankings above for how each is changing over time.
| # | Precinct | Total crimes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban Central | 9,738 |
| 2 | Phoenix | 7,993 |
| 3 | Chatsworth | 7,865 |
| 4 | Inanda | 7,587 |
| 5 | Pinetown | 6,508 |
| 6 | Verulam | 6,264 |
| 7 | Umlazi | 6,030 |
| 8 | Ntuzuma | 4,090 |
| 9 | Durban North | 3,825 |
| 10 | Kwamashu E | 3,558 |
| 11 | Umbilo | 3,146 |
| 12 | Hillcrest | 3,132 |
| 13 | Greenwood Park | 3,126 |
| 14 | Sydenham | 3,116 |
| 15 | Tongaat | 2,828 |
Data: SAPS quarterly crime statistics (Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to Apr 2024–Mar 2025 and to five years earlier). Figures are raw reported crime counts, not adjusted for population. Volume tier is a quintile within KwaZulu-Natal, not a safety rating. Methodology →