JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal remain South Africa’s murder hotspots, accounting to more than 80% of all killings across the country.
This was revealed by Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, who presented the crime statistics for the period January 1 to March 31, 2026.
While the murder rate in the country has decreased by 9.5%, these latest statistics paint a grim picture of a country still gripped by violent crime and organized crime.
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Bloodshed rate in provinces
According to Cachalia, during the studied period, there were 8,2 murders per 100 000 people nationally.
The Eastern Cape had the highest murder rate at 14,3 murders per 100 000 people.
It was then followed by the Western Cape with 12.8 murders per 100 000 people and then KZN at 8,8.
Gauteng recorded half of the Easter Cape with 7,1 murders per 100 000 people.
Organised Crime remains a key threat
Zoning in on Gauteng, Cachalia said, beyond murders, the province continued to dominate the country's organised crime landscape
This as it accounts for:
57.1% of all carjackings in the country.
54.8% of all kidnappings.
And 48.4% of all cash‑in‑transit robberies.
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Cachalia warned that these crimes are driven by sophisticated criminal syndicates operating within the country’s economic hubs and are highly mobile, heavily armed, and deeply embedded in our economic centers.
“They hijack vehicles, extort businesses, and terrorise workers transporting the salaries and social grants that keep families alive,” he said.
Extortion paints a worrying picture
Extortion also emerged as a growing threat.
According to Cachalia, this crime category started increasing slowly a decade ago, but steep annual increases have been recorded since the advent of Covid19.
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He said the data sample of 469 extortion cases paints a worrying picture.
“Protection rackets, including the so-called construction mafia, are spreading, especially in the Western Cape, which accounts for 57 out of 131 sampled protection racket cases,” he said.
According to Cachalia, these networks do not just steal money; they sabotage service delivery by targeting small businesses while also robbing people of jobs.
“They bleed the state and drive away investment,” he said.
A way forward
Cachalia said efforts to strengthen their capability to tackle organised crime continue.
As such, he said they are pursuing a new Organised Crime Strategy.
At the same time, he said KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has been appointed to Chair the Priority Committee on Organised Crime at national level.
This committee coordinates joint efforts across government departments and various sectors, and as additional support to the police, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has also been deployed in key areas, he added.