Pietermaritzburg Precinct
Umgungundlovu|9 suburbs
How much crime was reported in the Pietermaritzburg precinct?
The Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct recorded 5,447 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Very High volume for KwaZulu-Natal
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 Pietermaritzburg precinct area, and all 9 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 Pietermaritzburg compares to other KwaZulu-Natal precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in Umgungundlovu →
View 9 suburbs in this precinct
All these suburbs share the same crime statistics because SAPS reports data at precinct level.
Crime volume
Very High
in KwaZulu-Natal
Reported crimes
5,447
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year
vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
↑ 4.4%
more crimes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
vs pre-COVID baseline
↓ 17.2%
below 2018-2019
Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release
Crime in Pietermaritzburg rose 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
What's changing?
Biggest changes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
Aggravated robbery dropped significantly (-76) while Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased (+240).
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs+240
Drug-related crime+173
Aggravated robbery-76
All theft not mentioned elsewhere-73
Crime trend by year
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
| Crime category | Reported count |
|---|---|
| Drug-related crime | 1,159 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 884 |
| Common assault | 408 |
| Commercial crime | 353 |
| Aggravated robbery | 327 |
| Carjacking | 10 |
| Truck hijacking | 2 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 9 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 46 |
| 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 | 307 |
| Shoplifting | 303 |
| Common robbery | 279 |
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug-related crime | 1,159 | 986 | +173 |
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 884 | 957 | -73 |
| Common assault | 408 | 392 | +16 |
| Commercial crime | 353 | 333 | +20 |
| Aggravated robbery | 327 | 403 | -76 |
| Carjacking | 10 | 11 | -1 |
| Truck hijacking | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 9 | 16 | -7 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 46 | 28 | +18 |
| Robbery of cash in transit | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 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 | 307 | 67 | +240 |
| Shoplifting | 303 | 316 | -13 |
| Common robbery | 279 | 320 | -41 |
| Serious assault | 258 | 260 | -2 |
| Theft from vehicle | 245 | 257 | -12 |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 215 | 169 | +46 |
| Business burglary | 179 | 171 | +8 |
| Malicious damage | 107 | 130 | -23 |
| Residential burglary | 75 | 75 | 0 |
| Rape | 67 | 70 | -3 |
| Vehicle theft | 53 | 63 | -10 |
| Attempted murder | 52 | 60 | -8 |
| Crimen injuria | 41 | 38 | +3 |
| Murder | 33 | 49 | -16 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 32 | 32 | 0 |
| Kidnapping | 22 | 34 | -12 |
| Sexual assault | 21 | 14 | +7 |
| Culpable homicide | 18 | 16 | +2 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 3 | 6 | -3 |
| Contact sexual offences | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Public violence | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Abduction | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Arson | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Stock-theft | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in Umgungundlovu
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
See Pietermaritzburg 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 KwaZulu-Natal precinct around it.
Open Pietermaritzburg on the crime map →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Pietermaritzburg
The Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct recorded 5,447 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The largest categories were Drug-related crime (1,159), All theft not mentioned elsewhere (884), Common assault (408). These are whole-precinct raw counts of reported crime, not adjusted for population.
The Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct recorded 5,447 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026 — up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. 33 murders were reported. It sits in the "Very High" crime-volume tier for KwaZulu-Natal 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 Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct reported 5,447 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Crime is up 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Crime in the Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct has increased 4.4% vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The precinct reported 5,447 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
The most frequently reported crime category in the Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct is Drug-related crime.
The Pietermaritzburg SAPS precinct covers: Berg Street, Boom, Central, Commercial Road, Longmarket, Manor, Msunduzi, Pietermaritzburg CBD, Retief. 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 →