Crime category
Murder in South Africa
The source murder column.
23 096−6.5%(−1 596) 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
- 23 096
- 5-year average2021/22–2025/26
- 25 357
- 10-year average2016/17–2025/26
- 22 726
- Historical high2023/24
- 27 621
- Historical low2011/12
- 15 507
The latest figure sits between the historical low of 15 507 and the historical high of 27 621.
Crime history
- Highest recorded year
- 2023/24 — 27 621 incidents
- Lowest recorded year
- 2011/12 — 15 507 incidents
- Largest year-on-year increase
- 2021/22 — +25.8%
- Largest year-on-year decrease
- 2024/25 — −10.6%
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 −6.5% movement in 2025/26 sits within the range of earlier comparable year-on-year changes for this series.
Province breakdown
Recorded murder by province in 2025/26, listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
| Province | Recorded | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| 3 885 | −7.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 758 | −8.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 5 464 | −5.7% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 4 635 | −12.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 748 | −3.7% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 1 036 | −12.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 955 | −9.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 332 | −7.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 4 254 | +1.8% 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
- Mpumalanga−12.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- KwaZulu-Natal−12.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- North West−9.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Free State−8.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Northern Cape−7.5% 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.