GQEBERHA – The Eastern Cape recorded the highest murder and rape rates in South Africa, despite a national decline in violent crime during the first three months of 2026.

Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia and senior SAPS leadership released the fourth-quarter crime statistics for the 2025/26 financial year in Pretoria on Friday.

According to the statistics, the province recorded 949 murders, down from 1,020 in the same period in 2025.

However, it still had the highest murder ratio in the country at 14.3 per 100,000 people, and the highest rape ratio at 22.5 per 100,000 people.

Other figures included 1,853 sexual offences, 524 attempted murders, 6,026 assaults with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and 4,046 common assaults.

Nelson Mandela Bay remains murder hotspot

Nelson Mandela Bay remained a major hotspot, with several police stations ranking among the worst nationally for murder.

According to SAPS station-level data KwaZakhele recorded 59 murders, the highest at a single station, with New Brighton, Walmer, KwaNobuhle and Mthatha also among the top 20 murder stations.

Speaking at the briefing on Friday, Cachalia said many murders were linked to arguments, retaliation, vigilantism, gang violence and alcohol abuse.

Nationally, SAPS recorded 5,181 murders, a 9.5% decrease year-on-year, although officials said crime levels remain “unacceptably high”.

Responding to the crime statistics, DA Shadow MEC for Community Safety Yusuf Cassim said the Eastern Cape needed a permanent 24-hour Joint Operations Centre in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“A total of 949 murders were recorded in the province over just three months. While this is down from 1,020 during the same period last year, it still means that more than ten people were murdered every day in the Eastern Cape,” he said, citing SAPS statistics.

“This means that Eastern Cape residents are still more likely to be murdered or raped than residents anywhere else in South Africa.”

Cassim shared that he would write to Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Vuyisile Ncata and Community Safety MEC Xolile Nqatha requesting a detailed intervention plan for high-crime police stations including KwaZakhele, New Brighton, Walmer, KwaNobuhle and Mthatha.

“Eastern Cape residents need police stations that can respond when they call, investigate cases properly and prevent violent criminals from returning to the same communities again and again.”

He concluded that SAPS must strengthen operational capacity in the province’s worst-affected areas to reduce violent crime and restore public safety.

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