Crime category
Sexual offences in South Africa
The source sexual offences column.
51 554+1.1%(+542) was broadly unchanged. 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
- 51 554
- 5-year average2021/22–2025/26
- 52 058
- 10-year average2016/17–2025/26
- 50 970
- Historical high2008/09
- 69 030
- Historical low2020/21
- 45 469
The latest figure sits between the historical low of 45 469 and the historical high of 69 030.
Crime history
- Highest recorded year
- 2008/09 — 69 030 incidents
- Lowest recorded year
- 2020/21 — 45 469 incidents
- Largest year-on-year increase
- 2021/22 — +14.3%
- Largest year-on-year decrease
- 2020/21 — −13.4%
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 +1.1% movement in 2025/26 sits within the range of earlier comparable year-on-year changes for this series.
Province breakdown
Recorded sexual offences by province in 2025/26, listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
| Province | Recorded | Year-on-year |
|---|---|---|
| 7 031 | +2.9% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 3 261 | −5.6% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 9 614 | −3.5% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 10 056 | +4.8% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 4 631 | +5.4% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 3 594 | +5.6% increased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 3 547 | −3.3% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 1 373 | −4.2% decreased. Compared with the previous financial year. | |
| 6 577 | +2.5% increased. 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
- Mpumalanga+5.6% increased. Compared with the previous financial year.
- Limpopo+5.4% increased. Compared with the previous financial year.
Recorded less often
- Free State−5.6% 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.