Murder in Garden Route
SAPS definition: “Murder consists in the unlawful and intentional killing of another human being.” — SAPS Crime Definitions (2012), as published by the Institute for Security Studies.
SAPS recorded 45 murder cases across 14 Garden Route precincts in Apr–Jun 2026, up 18.4% vs Apr–Jun 2025. That is 4% of the Western Cape's 1,071 total.
Latest quarter (Apr–Jun 2026): 45 murder cases, up 18.4% vs Apr–Jun 2025.
Ranked by precinct below.
Note: Raw reported counts — not adjusted for population. Precincts serving more residents will naturally report more cases.
Is murder rising or falling in Garden Route?
Dashed: Apr–Jun 2026 only (1 of 4 quarters published) — a partial year, not comparable with the full years before it.
Which Garden Route precincts report the most murder?
Bars coloured by direction vs the previous year: teal = fewer, orange = more, grey = within ±2%. Top 15 of 17 precincts shown; full list in the table below. Sorted by Apr–Jun 2026 count.
All Garden Route precincts
| Precinct | Apr–Jun 2026 | vs Apr–Jun 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Thembalethu | 10 | 11 → 10 |
| Oudtshoorn | 8 | 1 → 8 |
| Kwanonqaba | 7 | 7 → 7 |
| Conville | 4 | 2 → 4 |
| Knysna | 4 | 2 → 4 |
| George | 2 | 1 → 2 |
| Heidelberg(C) | 2 | 0 → 2 |
| Plettenberg Bay | 2 | 0 → 2 |
| Calitzdorp | 1 | 2 → 1 |
| Da Gamaskop | 1 | 0 → 1 |
| Dysselsdorp | 1 | 1 → 1 |
| Kwanokuthula | 1 | 3 → 1 |
| Pacaltsdorp | 1 | 2 → 1 |
| Riversdale | 1 | 2 → 1 |
| Albertinia | 0 | 1 → 0 |
| De Rust | 0 | 1 → 0 |
| Uniondale | 0 | 2 → 0 |