63 lives lost daily: SA murders drop, but violence remains high

Firoz Cachalia

Cape Town – The latest quarterly crime statistics released by SAPS on 28 November 2025 show a significant drop in murders nationally — even as the daily death toll and other violent crimes remain a major concern.

According to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and Crime Registrar Thulare Sekhukhune, the data paint a complex picture of progress alongside persistent threats.

Cachalia said the overall drop was welcome but cautioned South Africans not to ignore ongoing risks.

“Murder has started to decrease significantly,” he told a media briefing in Pretoria.

He added that while serious violent crimes have seen reductions, some categories remain “stubbornly high.”

Cachalia stressed: “Sexual offences and gender‑based violence remain of critical concern.”

The numbers are sobering. In the quarter under review, SAPS recorded 751 fewer murders compared to the previous period — dropping from 6 545 to 5 794, marking an 11.5% reduction.

Still, that translates to an average of 63 people killed every day over the six‑month period.

In a breakdown of other key crimes, Sekhukhune said:

  • “Attempted murder … we have also recorded an increase of 194 counts more.”

  • Sexual offences edged up slightly — from 12,765 to 12,787, a 0.2% increase.

  • On the positive side, robbery and other “trio crimes” — such as carjackings and residential robberies — saw declines: cash‑in‑transit robberies, truck hijackings, and bank robberies all dropped, while both residential and non‑residential robberies decreased.

But the geographic and crime‑type disparities remain troubling. According to SAPS, while contact crimes fell nationally by 3.1% compared to the same period last year, certain metropolitan areas remain hotspots.

Cachalia said authorities are aware of “the scourge of crime in provincial hotspots,” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling organised crime and gang violence. “With the support of the Joint Initiative against Crime and Corruption, as part of the partnership with the private sector, we will strengthen our digital capacity to fight this,” he declared.

He also warned that some criminals turn to crime not out of mere desperation but “out of greed and lust for power,” establishing structures to exploit vulnerable communities for financial gain.

Cachalia urged citizens to stay vigilant — saying that while reductions offer “hope,” the overall levels remain “unacceptably high.”

The SAPS release comes as provinces such as KwaZulu‑Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng continue to struggle with pockets of intense violence and persistent contact crime, reminding many that statistical improvements don’t always translate into safety on the ground.

As reported by SAPS and the Ministry of Police today, the message to South Africans is clear: there is progress in some areas — but the fight against violence, gender‑based crime, and organised crime remains far from won.

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