Eastern Cape Remains Country’s Murder Hotspot As South Africa Records Decline in Killings Nationally

• Acting Police Minister, Firoz Cachalia, presented the fourth-quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year
• Professor Cachalia noted that the Eastern Cape led the way when it came to the country's murder rate
• The Acting Minister also noted that the crime patterns were changing, and victims often knew the perpetrators

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG – The Eastern Cape is officially South Africa’s murder hotspot, even as figures dropped nationally.

That was revealed by Acting Police Minister, Firoz Cachalia, as he presented the fourth-quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year.

The stats, which covered January to March 2026, showed a decline in the murder rate nationally, but also left the minister with some concerns about certain crime trends.

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Eastern Cape has the highest murder rate

During his presentation, the acting minister noted that the Eastern Cape had the highest murder rate in South Africa,

The Eastern Cape has a rate of 14.3 murders per 100,000 people, followed by the Western Cape with 12.8 murders per 100,000 people, and KwaZulu-Natal with 8.8 murders per 100,000 people.

While Gauteng recorded the highest number of murders in the three months, the risk of being murdered in the province is less than half of it happening in the Eastern Cape. On the other end of the scale, Limpopo holds the lowest murder rate, with 2.9 murders per 100,000 people.

The national average is 8.2 murders per 100,000 people.

Country’s murder rate drops

The minister also noted that the number of cases of murder dropped by 9.5% compared to the same quarter last year.

During the same quarter last year, 5,727 lost their lives, as opposed to 5,181 in 2026. During the same period in 2024, 1,355 more murders were reported.

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"While Gauteng, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal all recorded notable decreases in murders, these four provinces accounted for more than 80% of all murder cases in South Africa," Professor Cachalia noted.

Acting Minister concerned with new crime patterns

The Acting Minister also expressed concern with two new patterns in violent crimes. He first noted that many murders and rapes involved people known to the victims. The stats revealed that 1,523 murders occurred at the residence of either the perpetrator or the victim, while 47.2% of rapes took place in homes.

"Violence in South Africa is not only about strangers attacking strangers. It is about partners, relatives, neighbours and acquaintances," the minister noted.

Professor Cachalia also expressed concern that 299 murders were linked to incidents of mob justice.

"We must also reflect on the dangerous belief that mob justice will make us safe. Violence does not solve anything. It only leads to more violence," he stated.

He vowed that police would not rest until every citizen could enjoy their Constitutional right to safety.

Cape Town's gang-related crime stats rise

In another article, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed concern about the conviction rate in dealing with the city's gang violence problem.

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Briefly News reported that gang violence-related crimes remain a huge problem in the city, with the official crime statistics painting a grim picture.

The Cape Town Mayor called for more policing powers to be given to the municipality in order to combat the ongoing problem.

Source: Briefly News