South Africa recorded 5,181 murders in the first quarter of 2026 (January to March), down 9.5% from the same period last year. While the national trend is improving, several individual police station areas are bucking that trend significantly.
We analysed the official SAPS Q4 2025/2026 crime statistics workbook — the same data government uses — and mapped it by police station.
Kwazakele in the Eastern Cape recorded the highest murder count of any station in South Africa this quarter with 59 murders. Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal came second with 54, and Mfuleni in the Western Cape third with 53.
Delft, also in the Western Cape, recorded 51 murders and holds the second highest carjacking rate in the country with 61 incidents in the quarter.
Alexandra in Gauteng recorded a 103% increase in carjacking — 63 incidents in a single quarter, the highest in South Africa. Kempton Park saw an 80.6% increase and Eldorado Park a 109.5% increase despite being named an improvement station for murder.
The Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal continue to account for a disproportionate share of high-murder stations.
North West is the only province in South Africa where murder increased in Q4 2026, up 18.9%. Every other province recorded decreases, with the Western Cape down 13.4% and Gauteng down 10.2%.
Krugersdorp recorded a 69.2% decrease in murder. Phoenix in KZN went from 6 murders to 1 — an 83.3% decrease. Umlazi's murder count dropped 52%.
These improvements show that targeted policing and community interventions can move the dial even in historically high-crime areas.
Crime statistics by police station are the most granular public data we have on safety in South Africa. They should be read alongside population density, policing levels, and economic conditions. A high absolute count in a large station is not the same as a high rate per capita.
The data also captures reported crime only — South Africa's reporting rates for sexual offences, domestic violence, and some property crimes are known to be significantly below actual incidence.
Explore the full interactive crime map with all 42 stations →
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