Crime Statistics
The South African Crime Statistics pages may present the most information. The envisaged
drop-down navigation and sub pages include the following:
Overview of 2010 Crime Situation
The 2009/10 crime statistics show decreases in some crime categories such as murder, attempted
murder and certain forms of robbery. However, other crimes are showing significant increases for
example in property-related crime, most notably theft of motor vehicles and burglary at residential
premises. This upward trend started in 2008/09 after five consecutive years of reductions in the
overall crime rate.
The 2009/2010 statistics also highlight the continued increase in two of the three trio crimes (house
robberies, business robberies and car hijackings), and truck hijackings. Dr. Johan Burger from the ISS
indicated in 2009 that “the trio crimes are currently South Africa's biggest crime threat and it is
obvious that whatever we are doing to fight them is not working. This is not only a reflection of police
performance, but the result of a combination of factors, including the performance of the criminal
justice system and government in general”1.
Dr. Burger highlights four main findings:
• Some sub-categories of violent crimes, may have stabilised but at alarmingly high levels. In
particular aggravated robbery, house and business robbery and car hijacking are dangerously close
to becoming out of control.
• The percentage increases year on year in crimes against the business sector is important. The
increases in crimes relating to this sector are significantly higher than with other crimes, and have
serious economic and social implications.
• That whatever we are doing to combat these crimes is not working.
• That fixing the criminal justice system, and in particular the police, important as it is, is not enough.
Dr. Burger notes that “What appears to be necessary is an integrated, overarching and wellcoordinated approach that includes efforts to address the problems of the criminal justice system,
while addressing inequality and other social problems”2.
Related Articles:
Dr. Johan Burger, ISS, Worrying Trends: The official 2008/09 South African crime statistics, South
African Crime Quarterly 30, (December 2009), 3-11
SAPS (2009), Crime Situation in South Africa in The SAPS Annual Report 2008/2009. Pretoria
South African Crime Statistics Data bases
Download any of the following files containing various crime statistics. These statistics are available
on the SAPS website in pdf format.
1
Dr. Johan Burger, Worrying Trends The official 2008/09 South African crime statistics, South African Crime
Quarterly 30, (December 2009), 3-11
2
Ibid
2003/04 to 2009/10 national raw crime statistics per crime category
2003/04 to 2009/10 comprehensive station level raw crime data base (also available in SPSS or
STATA on request)
Why are crime stats important?
Crime stats are used by different groups for different things. On a political level, it provides a measure
for the success or failure of certain criminal justice policies. On an operational level, it provides
important information on how best to allocate state resources. From a civil society perspective, it
provides indicators against which to measure criminal justice performance and therefore an important
tool to hold accountability the various role-players in the criminal justice system.
The crime stats should also be used by community safety and security practitioners to develop,
implement and measure the success of social crime prevention initiatives. It is critical that the crime
statistics are credible and reliable else national, provincial, local and community level decision-makers
and crime prevention/reduction practitioners may plan and act inappropriately to crime problems.
How should I interpret the crime statistics?
Of critical importance is the use of uniform crime definitions when looking at official and or other
sources of crime stats as well as any victimisation surveys.
The official crime stats reflect the number of reported crimes to the South African Police Service
(SAPS) for the financial year indicated, for instance from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010.
It is important to remember that these figures present an undercount of actual crime as not all
crime is reported to the police. Also, the figures represent only those crimes that were captured
on the SAPS system.
These statistics are usually presented in two formats, namely raw statistics indicating the actual
number of crimes reported, or as crime ratios (crime per 100,000 of the population)
The raw figures provide an indication of the actual volume of cases per crime category, province
or station.
The crime ratios, the per capita figures, take into account differences in the size of the population
a) over time and b) among various geographical settings such as provinces or stations.
Crime rations enable comparisons of changes in crime levels over time and by different provinces
or stations. For instance, the chances of a murder occurring in Gauteng are about three times
higher than in Limpopo Province.
Caution must be taken when reviewing per capita figures:
o The last South African Census was in 2001. With high levels of household and individual
mobility, national and international migration, and urbanisation, certain population figures
in use, particularly at a district, municipal or station level, may be inaccurate.
o Special caution should be taken when applying the above analysis to crime stats at a
station level where lower numbers may lead to a distortion of reality. For example, an
increase of the number of murders in one station area from one murder in 2008/2009 to
two in 2009/2010 indicate, on face value, a 100% increase in the murder rate at a specific
station, which when taken out of this context will lead to a distorted view of the change in
the crime rate as a 100% increase in this case hardly justify a “crime wave”. The proviso
therefore is that crime ratio’s could be dangerous when looking at smaller values.
Reliability of the crime statistics by criminal justice researchers
1. Altbekker (2005) notes that ‘the failure to pay sufficient respect to the limitations of data, however
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
seemingly solid, can result in quite serious misjudgements about the level of crime and, indeed,
the distribution of risk...in the absence of more compelling data, we ought to accept police
statistics as reflective of reality...”3
Bruce (2010) ‘considered a number of peculiarities in current statistics on violent crime and
argued that these peculiarities make sense when understood in relation to the 'perverse
incentives' created by the establishment of the SAPS Performance Chart and pressure from
government for the SAPS to reduce violent crime by seven to ten per cent per annum.’4
Bruce (2010) argues that ‘The implication is that the non-recording of crime is widespread within
the SAPS and that this non-recording is responsible for much of the reduction in violent crime that
has been reported in statistics over recent years. The implication of this, in turn, is that current
crime statistics cannot be regarded as a reliable indicator of trends in crime, particularly in violent
crime.’5
Burger (2009) also noted documented cases where some stations are said to deliberately
manipulate / under-record certain crime statistics6.
Bruce (2010) continues that “There are specific difficulties and risks related to the use of crime
statistics as a key performance measure for the police. One difficulty is that levels of reporting do
not purely reflect crime trends, but also changes in attitudes to the police. If people have greater
confidence in the police they will be more inclined to report cases to them. A reduction in crime
statistics can only reasonably be used as a police performance measure in a social environment
where police-community relations are at an optimal level and can be expected to remain very
stable.”7
Bruce (2010) concludes that “The issue of crime statistics has been a vexed one throughout much
of the post-1994 period. Government has often appeared to view these statistics primarily in
terms of the negative image they might create. Government ministers have variously tried to
restrict their availability, to the point of imposing a complete moratorium on their release from July
2000 to May 2001. Crime has thus in many ways been a matter of image management for
government, rather than an incentive to develop proper strategies for reducing crime. The
credibility and integrity of SAPS crime statistics are now casualties of this approach. If there is
one principal lesson that should be drawn from this, it is that tackling violent crime can no longer
be an issue of image management and must become the focus of clear strategies that are
properly implemented.”8
Related Articles:
3
Altbekker, A. The Dangers of Data. Recognising the Limitations of Crime Statistics, South African
Crime Quarterly 14, December 2005, 29-36.
Bruce, D. The ones in the pile were the ones going down’ The reliability of violent crime statistics,
South African Crime Quarterly 31, March 2010, 9-17.
4
Bruce, D. The ones in the pile were the ones going down’ The reliability of violent crime statistics,
South African Crime Quarterly 31, March 2010, 9-17
6
In Johan Burger, Worrying Trends: The official 2008/09 South African crime statistics, South African
Crime Quarterly 30, December 2009, Dr. Burger referred to the following articles:
1. How cops fiddle crime statistics, Sunday Times, 4 July 2009.
2 Max attacks police boss, Cape Times, 24 June 2009.
3 Mountain Rise crime statistics questioned, The Witness, 23 September 2009
7
Bruce, D. The ones in the pile were the ones going down’ The reliability of violent crime statistics,
South African Crime Quarterly 31, March 2010, 9-17
8
Bruce, D. The ones in the pile were the ones going down’ The reliability of violent crime statistics,
South African Crime Quarterly 31, March 2010, 9-17
5
Altbekker, A. The Dangers of Data: Recognising the Limitations of Crime Statistics, South African
Crime Quarterly 14, December 2004, 29-36.
Bruce, D. The ones in the pile were the ones going down’: The reliability of violent crime statistics,
South African Crime Quarterly 31, March 2010, 9-17.
Burger, J.Worrying Trends: The official 2008/09 South African crime statistics, South African Crime
Quarterly 30, December 2009, 3-11.
The Definitions of Crimes used to compile the crime statistics?
SAPS utilise specific definitions to classify a case. Some definitions stem from the common
law such as murder and others are defined in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1977 (Act
51 of 1977). Some of these are as follows:
Murder consists in the unlawful and intentional killing of another human being.
Attempted Murder consists in the commission of an unlawful act with the intention of killing
another human being but which does not result in the death of that human being.
Sexual Assault: This category of crime replaces the former categories of rape and indecent
assault. The new definition is contained in the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related
Matters) Amendment Act, Act 32 of 2007.
Common Assault is the unlawful and intentional –
a) Direct and indirect application of force to the body of another person, or
b) Threat of application of immediate personal violence to another, in circumstances in
which the threatened person is prevailed upon to believe that the person who is
threatening him has the intention and power to carry out his threat.
Note: The act may consist in the direct or indirect application of force or threats of force
decisive factor is the use of force or violence.
Assault with the intent inflict Grievous Bodily Harm is the unlawful and intentional direct or
indirect application of force to the body of another person with the intention of causing
grievous bodily harm to that person. Note: The victim does not need to sustain serious
injuries. The decisive element is the intention to cause serious injuries.
Culpable Homicide consists of the unlawful, negligent causing of death of another human
being.
Common Robbery is the unlawful and intentional forceful removal and appropriation of
movable tangible property belonging to another. Note: The decisive factor is the use of force
or violence.
Robbery with aggravating circumstances is the unlawful and intentional forceful removal and
appropriation in aggravating circumstances of movable tangible property belonging to
another. Note: These cases are specified (coded) either with the use of a firearm or with a
weapon other than a firearm.
Robbery of a motor vehicle is the unlawful and intentional forceful removal and appropriation
of a motor vehicle (excluding a truck and a light delivery vehicle) belonging to another. Note:
These cases are specified (coded) either with the use of a firearm or with a weapon other
than a firearm.
Robbery of a truck is the unlawful and intentional forceful removal and appropriation of a
truck (excluding a light delivery vehicle) belonging to another. Note: These cases are
specified (coded) either with the use of a firearm or with a weapon other than a firearm.
Cash-in-transit robbery is the unlawful and intentional forceful removal and appropriation of
money or containers for the conveyance of money, belonging to another while such money
or containers for the conveyance of money are being transported by a security company on
behalf of the owner thereof. Note: Money robbed from a company’s own staff members even
on security guards constitutes common robbery.
Bank Robbery is the unlawful and intentional forceful removal and appropriation of money
which belongs to a bank from the bank during the office hours of that bank. Note: These
cases are specified (coded) either with the use of a firearm or with a weapon other than a
firearm
Arson is the unlawful and intentional damaging of an immovable structure which is suitable
for human occupation or the storing of goods and which belongs to another, by setting fire to
it with the intention to prejudice another.
Malicious damage to property consists in the unlawful and intentional damaging og property
belonging to another.
Burglary at residential premises: Housebreaking (residential premises) is committed by a
person who unlawfully and intentionally breaks into a building or similar structure, used for
human habitation, and enters or penetrates it with part of his or her body or with an
instrument with which he or she intends to control something on the premises with the
intention to commit a crime on the premises.
Burglary at non-residential premises: Housebreaking (other premises) is committed by a
person who unlawfully and intentionally breaks into a building or similar structure, which is
not used for human habitation and does not form part of residential premises, and enters or
penetrates it with part of his or her body or with an instrument with which he or she intends
to control something on the premises with the intention to commit a crime on the premises.
Shoplifting consists of stealing from a self-service shop, during the shopping hours of that
shop, an article which is offered for sale by that shop.
Theft of motor vehicle and motorcycle consists of the stealing of a motor vehicle belonging to
another person.
Theft out of or from motor vehicle consists of the unlawful and intentional removal of parts,
accessories or equipment, that form part of a motor vehicle, from such vehicle or of articles
in or on the vehicle from the vehicle, with the intention of permanently depriving the owner
thereof control of such parts, accessories or equipment or over the articles taken from the
vehicle.
Stock-theft consists of the stealing of stock or produce belonging to another person
Crimen Iniuria is the unlawful intentional serious infringement of the dignity or privacy of
another person.
GIS Maps of Crime Trends:
The GIS Crime and Justice Information Viewer© is the first advanced viewer of its kind
for the CJS. The viewer provides for spatial orientation by means of main routes and
landmarks at a national, provincial, local and SAPS precinct level. Users can search for
crime information and trends, SAPS resources and socio-economic data even at a SAPS
station level. For those who would like to download maps in a PDF format the following
options are available:
Provincial maps showing murder rates and increases
Provincial maps showing sexual assault rates and increases
Provincial maps showing aggravated robbery (Trio crime) rates and increases
Provincial maps showing residential robbery rates and increases
Provincial maps showing non-residential robbery rates and increases
Provincial maps showing carjacking rates and increases
Provincial maps showing truck-jacking rates and increases
Provincial maps showing property-related rates and increases
Provincial maps showing residential burglary rates and increases
Provincial maps showing non-residential burglary rates and increases
Provincial maps showing theft of motor vehicle/cycle rates and increases
Provincial maps showing theft OUT of motor vehicle/cycle rates and increases
Provincial maps showing stock-theft rates and increases
Provincial maps showing other serious theft not mentioned elsewhere rates and increases
Provincial maps showing commercial crime rates and increases
Provincial maps showing shoplifting rates and increases
International Comparative Statistics
The 2010 International Statistics on Crime and Justice Report9 indicates that South Africa
has the highest official homicide rates in Africa and that the Southern African sub-region
reportedly had the highest average intentional homicide rate in the world. It should be noted
that many of the statistics used for comparison, are outdated and lack uniformity. Closer
inspection shows that various other countries have higher homicide rates than South African
with several of these reporting increasing rates. The graph below provides some indication
of these.
58
Honduras
50
48
48
Siera Leone
Venezuala
El Salvador
42.3
37.5
36 (2000 – 49.6)
Trin & Tobago
SA
Colombia
25.7
Brazil
10
Mexico
5.8
5.3
2.3
USA
Argentina
UK
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Related Publications:
International Statistics on Crime and Justice, UNODC and HEUNI
UNODC Homicide Statistics, Criminal Justice and Public Health Sources - Trends (2003-2008)
(Excel)
9
HEUNI and UNODC, HEUNI Report series 64. International Statistics on Crime and Justice, Edited
by S. Harrendorf, M. Heiskanen, S. Malby. ISBN 978-952-5333-78-7 ISSN 1237-4741 (available
http://www.heuni.fi/Etusivu/Publications/1266333832841) Downloaded 16/07/2010
Why so much violent crime in South Africa?
This is a hugely complex question with no quick-fix answers. See the following documents for current
discussion on the causes of violent crime in South Africa:
The Nature of Violent Crime In SA (CSVR, Dept of Community Safety/NationalSecreteriat ) (exec
summary; full report)
The circumstances of the occurrence of murder in six areas with high rates of murder (CSVR,
National Secretariat ) (exec summary) full text as a PDF-file (2,69Mt).