Crime category
Assault in South Africa
CrimeMap SA grouping: assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm plus common assault. This is a CrimeMap SA grouping of more than one source column, not a figure SAPS publishes under this name.
362 434−2.1%(−7 672) 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
- 362 434
- 5-year average2021/22–2025/26
- 356 907
- 10-year average2016/17–2025/26
- 338 966
- Historical high2005/06
- 451 095
- Historical low2020/21
- 291 248
The latest figure sits between the historical low of 291 248 and the historical high of 451 095.
Crime history
- Highest recorded year
- 2005/06 — 451 095 incidents
- Lowest recorded year
- 2020/21 — 291 248 incidents
- Largest year-on-year increase
- 2021/22 — +13.6%
- Largest year-on-year decrease
- 2020/21 — −12.3%
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 −2.1% movement in 2025/26 sits within the range of earlier comparable year-on-year changes for this series.
Province breakdown
Recorded assault by province in 2025/26, listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
| Province | Recorded | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| 36 637 | +1.9% was broadly unchanged. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 25 532 | −7.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 79 197 | −5.2% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 61 839 | +1.4% was broadly unchanged. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 21 139 | −6.4% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 19 506 | −5.2% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 27 516 | −0.7% was broadly unchanged. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 12 506 | −4.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 66 201 | +0.2% was broadly unchanged. 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
None this year.
Recorded less often
- Free State−7.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Limpopo−6.4% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Gauteng−5.2% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Mpumalanga−5.2% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
Map
The map colours local municipalities by assault using assault gbh, the first source column in this grouping, for 2025/26.