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Richards Bay Crime Statistics

Richards Bay Precinct |King Cetshwayo
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year SAPS Data Report error
Precinct-level data
Richards Bay falls within the Richards Bay police precinct. SAPS reports crime at precinct level — all suburbs in this precinct share the same statistics. Other suburbs: Aquadene, Arboretum, Birdswood, Brackenham, Meerensee and 2 more.
Richards Bay is a suburb in King Cetshwayo, KwaZulu-Natal. Crime in the Richards Bay precinct area (covering Richards Bay) remained stable vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025, with 4,730 reported crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, and is 11.4% above its pre-COVID level. The most reported crime is Commercial crime (747 cases). Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs saw the biggest increase (+326). Raw counts are not adjusted for population. Source: SAPS quarterly release.

See how Richards Bay compares to other KwaZulu-Natal precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 →

About this data

These are raw crime counts from SAPS — not adjusted for population. Areas with more residents will naturally report more crimes. The most reliable indicator is the trend over time, which compares this area against its own history. Learn more

Crime volume

Very High

in KwaZulu-Natal

Reported crimes

4,730

Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year

vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

→ 2%

no change vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

vs its pre-COVID level

↑ 11.4%

above 2018-2019

Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release

Crime in the Richards Bay precinct area (covering Richards Bay) has been relatively stable vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 (within ±2%).
Total crime: 450% above provincial median
Contact crime: 191% above provincial median
Property crime: 413% 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

16

↓ 48.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Violent crime

1,060

↓ 3.8% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Property crime

885

↓ 15.7% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Other (drug, commercial, theft)

2,785

↑ 12% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025

Crime breakdown

Top reported offences in 2025-2026

Top reported crime categories in Richards Bay precinct, 2025-2026
Crime categoryReported count
Commercial crime		747
All theft not mentioned elsewhere		674
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs		469
Residential burglary		392
Common assault		319
Theft from vehicle		316
Drug-related crime		305
Serious assault		237
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Compare with nearby areas

Other precincts in King Cetshwayo

Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)

Ntambanana

304 crimes → 1.6%

Mbongolwane

357 crimes → 1.1%

Ekombe

404 crimes ↑ 11.9%

Gingindlovu

800 crimes ↓ 21.2%

Nkandla

881 crimes ↓ 6%

Melmoth

1,290 crimes ↓ 8.6%
See all precincts in King Cetshwayo →

Compare Richards Bay

Side-by-side crime statistics with nearby suburbs

vs Empangeni More comparisons →

Other suburbs served by Richards Bay police station

8 suburbs in this precinct share the same SAPS crime data

SAPS reports at precinct level — all suburbs below have identical crime statistics to Richards Bay.

AquadeneArboretumBirdswoodBrackenhamMeerenseeVeldenvleiWildenweide
View full Richards Bay precinct overview →

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about crime in Richards Bay

Check another area

Data Sources & Notes

  • Crime data: SAPS quarterly crime statistics
  • SAPS data reflects reported crime only. Crime reporting rates vary by area.
  • 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 →

Economic Context

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