The Republic of South Africa, located at the southern tip of the African continent in the Southern Hemisphere, has coastlines along the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Eswatini. Understanding the safety and crime situation is crucial for both residents and visitors.
South Africa is about 2 times larger than Texas and operates on South Africa Standard Time (SAST), which is 6 or 7 hours ahead of Washington D.C.
Crime in South Africa includes all violent and non-violent crimes that take place within its jurisdiction. Crime levels have been attributed to poverty, problems with the delivery of public services, and wealth disparity.
In February 2007, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation was contracted by the South African ANC government to carry out a study on the nature of crime in South Africa.
General Safety Concerns
Violent crime is common and includes robbery, rape, carjacking, and mugging. Theft can be bold and in broad daylight; diplomats report cell phones being stolen from their hands. It is essential to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions.
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A South African Police Service (SAPS) vehicle.
Specific Crime Types
- Kidnapping: Kidnapping is a threat in South Africa. Captors often force victims to withdraw cash or give online account passwords before they are let go. In 2022, there were 4,028 cases of kidnapping reported in South Africa.
- Carjacking: WITBANK has a high record of carjacking when compared with other places. Insurance company Hollard Insurance stated in 2007 that they would no longer insure Volkswagen Citi Golfs, as they were one of the country's most frequently carjacked vehicles.
- Cash-in-transit (CIT) heists: Cash-in-transit (CIT) heists have at times reached epidemic proportions in South Africa. These are well-planned operations with military-style execution, where the robbers use stolen luxury vehicles and high-powered automatic firearms to bring the armored car to a stop.
- Farm Attacks: From 1994 to 2020 South Africa experienced 13,000 farm attacks, during which 2,000 commercial farmers were killed besides others who were injured or wounded.
Factors Contributing to Crime
The Institute for Security Studies also highlighted factors beyond poverty and inequality, particularly social stress from uncaring environments in early childhood and subsequent lack of guardianship. The normalisation of violence, a subculture of violence and criminality, ranging from individual criminals who rape or rob, to informal groups or more formalised gangs, are also contributing factors. Those involved in the subculture are engaged in criminal careers and commonly use firearms, with the exception of Cape Town; where knife violence is more prevalent. The vulnerability of young people due to inadequate child-rearing, followed by poor guardianship and youth socialisation, as well as the consumption and abuse of alcohol, are demonstrable causes or contributing factors in many violent crimes including murder, attempted murder, assault, gender-based assault and rape cases.
Police and Justice System Challenges
Several issues plague the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader justice system:
- Vehicle Shortages: By April 2021, almost 27% of Gauteng's fleet was awaiting repairs, which only commenced after 3 months due to the backlog. Of 5,781 police vehicles in Gauteng, 1,407 or almost a quarter were out of order in 2020, which negatively affected reaction times and visible policing.
- Staffing and Resources: While South Africa had one police officer to 250 members of the public in 2010, this ratio declined to one to 450 in 2022.
- Corruption and Firearm Control: Ordnance is regularly stolen from the security forces or security firms, and it is feared that these may be used in other crimes. From 2010 to 2015, two SAPS colonels sold 5,000 police firearms worth R9 million to gangs in the Western Cape, and in 2022 two members of the JMPD were arrested for allegedly supplying criminals with R5 ammunition.
- Low Conviction Rates: When suspects are apprehended, the police lack experience to prepare a thorough prima facie case, leaving the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) powerless to institute legal proceedings. Only 2% of vehicle hijackings, 2% of robberies of either residential or commercial premises, 9% of sexual offences (5% of adult rape and 9% of child rape cases) result in convictions.
A graph of South Africa's murder rate (annual murders per 100,000 people) spanning the century from 1915 to 2023.
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Specific Safety Measures and Precautions
Given the safety concerns, several precautions are advisable:
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- Avoid High-Risk Areas: Avoid visiting informal settlements (townships) unless you go with someone who knows the area. Embassy mission staff must use fully armored vehicles when visiting many townships in and around Cape Town.
- Secure Transportation: Avoid driving during load shedding (temporary power outages). The roads can become very congested with no traffic signals. Minibus taxis are often unlicensed and unsafe.
- Financial Security: Avoid vehicles transporting cash on the road, as well as at ATMs. Criminal gangs often target these vehicles. They ambush them with automatic weapons and explosives.
- ATM Awareness: ATM and credit card skimming are common. Skimmers have been found on machines at parking kiosks, shopping malls and office buildings. Do not hand over your credit card to vendors. Credit card payment is not always available.
- Land Travel: If you're traveling by land to a nearby country, check the local news.
Scams and Financial Crimes
Internet romance and financial scams are common in South Africa. PricewaterhouseCoopers' fourth biennial global economic crime survey reported a 110% increase in fraud reports from South African companies in 2005. Land invasion in and around major cities is a growing concern and affects private as well as state-owned land. Rogue liquidators then collude with the company managers to strip the mine's assets, whereby most financial obligations are bypassed.
Additional Safety Tips
- Emergency Preparedness: Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations.
- Travel Insurance: Buy insurance before you travel and make sure your insurance plan works abroad. Citizens should consider buying medical evacuation insurance.
- Local Laws: If you don’t follow local laws, you may be denied entry, could be detained or deported. South Africa has special requirements for minors traveling through its ports of entry.
- Health Precautions: If you are entering South Africa from a yellow fever risk country, you must show a valid "yellow card" vaccination certificate.
- Road Safety: Road conditions are good in South Africa. Traffic drives on the left.
- Embassy Registration: Embassy through the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Crime Statistics and Analysis
According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), South Africa’s 2022/2023 murder rate was 45 per 100,000 people. In 2024, the South African Cities Network (SACN) published its State of Urban Safety in South Africa report. Based on crime statistics released by the South African Police Service for 2022/23, the report shows Nelson Mandela Bay had the highest murder rate, at 103 murders per 100,000 people. This was followed by eThekwini at 76 per 100,000, Msunduzi at 69 per 100,000 and Cape Town at 68 per 100,000.
| Municipality | 2022/23 Murder Rate (per 100,000) |
|---|---|
| Nelson Mandela Bay | 103 |
| eThekwini | 76 |
| Msunduzi | 69 |
| City of Cape Town | 68 |
| Buffalo City | 65 |
| City of Johannesburg | 44 |
| Ekurhuleni | 41 |
| Mangaung | 35 |
| City of Tshwane | 22 |
Source: South African Cities Network (2024)
Remember to stay informed and take necessary precautions to ensure a safe experience in Cape Town.
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