Crime stats: These are provinces with the highest murder, rape and carjackings in SA
SAPS’s crime statistics for April to June 2026 show Gauteng recorded the most murders and carjackings, while KwaZulu-Natal had the highest number of reported rape cases. Population-based rates, however, were highest in the Eastern Cape for both murder and rape.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) released crime statistics for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, revealing that Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape are the provinces with the highest rates of murder, rape, and carjackings. Gauteng had the highest number of murders (1,276) and carjackings (2,207) during the three-month period.
KwaZulu-Natal reported the most rape cases (1,820) and murders (1,179). The Eastern Cape had the highest murder rate at 15.8 per 100,000 people and the highest rape rate at 22.3 per 100,000 people. Despite a national decline in murders (5.9%), Gauteng still accounted for nearly a quarter of all murders in the country. The four provinces listed accounted for the majority of serious violent crimes in South Africa during the first three months of the financial year.
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