Ladysmith Precinct
Uthukela|17 suburbs
How much crime was reported in the Ladysmith precinct?
The Ladysmith SAPS precinct recorded 6,286 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, roughly unchanged vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Very High volume for KwaZulu-Natal
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 Ladysmith precinct area, and all 17 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 Ladysmith compares to other KwaZulu-Natal precincts vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 → Crime by precinct in Uthukela →
View 17 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
6,286
Apr 2025–Mar 2026 · Full year
vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
→ 0.1%
no change vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
vs pre-COVID baseline
↑ 30.1%
above 2018-2019
Updated · SAPS Q4 2025-26 release
Crime in Ladysmith has been relatively stable vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025 (within ±2%).
What's changing?
Biggest changes vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025
Business burglary dropped significantly (-135) while Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs increased (+329).
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs+329
Drug-related crime+140
Business burglary-135
All theft not mentioned elsewhere-133
Crime trend by year
Crime breakdown
Top reported offences in 2025-2026
| Crime category | Reported count |
|---|---|
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 801 |
| Common assault | 728 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 587 |
| Commercial crime | 551 |
| Serious assault | 547 |
| Drug-related crime | 527 |
| Crimen injuria | 425 |
| Residential burglary | 367 |
View full crime breakdown table
| Category | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| All theft not mentioned elsewhere | 801 | 934 | -133 |
| Common assault | 728 | 831 | -103 |
| Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs | 587 | 258 | +329 |
| Commercial crime | 551 | 485 | +66 |
| Serious assault | 547 | 574 | -27 |
| Drug-related crime | 527 | 387 | +140 |
| Crimen injuria | 425 | 362 | +63 |
| Residential burglary | 367 | 401 | -34 |
| Aggravated robbery | 313 | 321 | -8 |
| Carjacking | 5 | 4 | +1 |
| Truck hijacking | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| Robbery at residential premises | 41 | 38 | +3 |
| Robbery at non-residential premises | 25 | 36 | -11 |
| 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. | |||
| Malicious damage | 254 | 282 | -28 |
| Common robbery | 185 | 194 | -9 |
| Theft from vehicle | 168 | 265 | -97 |
| Shoplifting | 162 | 172 | -10 |
| Business burglary | 131 | 266 | -135 |
| Rape | 105 | 110 | -5 |
| Attempted murder | 99 | 98 | +1 |
| Stock-theft | 97 | 102 | -5 |
| Murder | 58 | 66 | -8 |
| Kidnapping | 56 | 66 | -10 |
| Illegal possession of firearms and ammunition | 41 | 35 | +6 |
| Sexual assault | 27 | 17 | +10 |
| Culpable homicide | 22 | 18 | +4 |
| Vehicle theft | 16 | 18 | -2 |
| Arson | 7 | 11 | -4 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 5 | 6 | -1 |
| Neglect and ill-treatment of children | 4 | 9 | -5 |
| Public violence | 2 | 0 | +2 |
| Contact sexual offences | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| Abduction | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Sexual offences detected as a result of police action | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Compare with nearby areas
Other precincts in Uthukela
Sorted by total reported crimes (lowest first)
See Ladysmith 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 Ladysmith on the crime map →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about crime in Ladysmith
The Ladysmith SAPS precinct recorded 6,286 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, roughly stable vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The largest categories were All theft not mentioned elsewhere (801), Common assault (728), Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (587). These are whole-precinct raw counts of reported crime, not adjusted for population.
The Ladysmith SAPS precinct recorded 6,286 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026 — roughly stable vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. 58 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 Ladysmith SAPS precinct reported 6,286 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026. Crime is roughly stable vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025.
Crime in the Ladysmith SAPS precinct has remained broadly stable (within ±2%) vs Apr 2024–Mar 2025. The precinct reported 6,286 crimes in Apr 2025–Mar 2026, compared to the same period in the previous financial year.
The most frequently reported crime category in the Ladysmith SAPS precinct is All theft not mentioned elsewhere.
The Ladysmith SAPS precinct covers: Acaciavale, Egerton, Hospital Park, Hyde Park, Ladysmith, Ladysmith CBD, Ladysmith Central, Ladysmith SPA, Leonardsville, Limit Hill, Meadows, Observation Hill, Reservoir Hill, Roosboom, Rose Hill, Steadville, Windsor Park. 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 →