Safe and sound? The drop in crime stats South Africans aren’t buying
Housebreakings and thefts are down across the country, but a growing trust gap means millions of victims simply aren't reporting incidents anymore.
While official crime statistics in South Africa show a general decline, the public's perception of safety remains unchanged. Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) released data from April 2025 to March 2026, revealing a 4.6% decrease in housebreaking incidents. Housebreaking, the most prevalent household crime, affected 2.345 million households, down from 2.605 million in the previous year (11.5% of households).
Individual property theft also dropped, with 2.45 million victims in 2025-26, a 21% decrease from the previous year. However, other crime categories, such as motor vehicle theft, assault, and street robbery, did not show statistically significant reductions. In fact, 69% of people affected by psychological violence did not report their experiences to the police.
The primary reason for this lack of reporting is a widespread distrust in law enforcement. South Africans believe that police would not take action, with 24% of non-reporting households citing this reason. South Africans are increasingly taking matters into their own hands, with 47% of the population adopting protective measures, such as limiting daily movement and installing security systems.
While 81% feel safe walking in their neighborhoods during the day, that safety drops to 38% after dark. Women, who make up 43% of those who take defensive measures, report feeling the safest.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
