The purpose of the data and mapping products is to build knowledge among the public and policy makers to enable the development of appropriate safety responses.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) release the official (‘audited’) statistics once a year from 1 April to 31 March the following year, about nine months after the end of the period.

The SAPS also release quarterly statistics about six weeks after each quarter to present more up-to-date crime and violence trends. Quarterly statistics provide a preliminary snapshot of incidents and are therefore incompatible with annual crime statistics.  

As crime trends change per region, city, district and municipality, the Crime Hub teams build more detailed maps to examine the current status in specific hotspots. These maps provide valuable information in supporting decision-making and sound policy advice.

The maps below show the murder rate across cities in South Africa. Click on a map to see the full size image