Crime category
Arson in South Africa
Cases the source records as arson.
2 805−4.7%(−137) decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
South Africa, 2025/26
National trend
Every financial year in the dataset up to the year you select. Missing years appear as gaps, not as zero.
Area snapshot
2025/26 nationally, compared with this category's own history up to this year.
- 2025/26Latest financial year
- 2 805
- 5-year average2021/22–2025/26
- 3 348
- 10-year average2016/17–2025/26
- 3 586
- Historical high2006/07
- 7 438
- Historical low2025/26
- 2 805
The latest figure is the lowest in the available dataset.
Crime history
- Highest recorded year
- 2006/07 — 7 438 incidents
- Lowest recorded year
- 2025/26 — 2 805 incidents
- Largest year-on-year increase
- 2021/22 — +24.4%
- Largest year-on-year decrease
- 2020/21 — −14.2%
Unusual movements
The selected year's year-on-year change compared with earlier comparable movements in this series.
Latest movement · recorded crime
Within the historical range
The −4.7% movement in 2025/26 sits within the range of earlier comparable year-on-year changes for this series.
Province breakdown
Recorded arson by province in 2025/26, listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
| Province | Recorded | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| 353 | −4.1% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 157 | +21.7% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 358 | +11.9% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 508 | −14.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 208 | −10.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 155 | −20.1% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 211 | −4.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 153 | 0.0% was broadly unchanged. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 590 | −6.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. |
Largest recent movements
Provinces whose year-on-year change clears CrimeMap SA's documented thresholds. Listed because the movement is large, not because the province is safer or more dangerous.
Recorded more often
- Free State+21.7% increased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Gauteng+11.9% increased. Compared with the previous financial year.
Recorded less often
- Mpumalanga−20.1% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- KwaZulu-Natal−14.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Limpopo−10.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Western Cape−6.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
Map
Local municipalities coloured by recorded volume for this category in 2025/26. Zoom in for police stations.