KZN crime statistics: Police to brief public on state of policing - IOL
Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba will release the crime statistics for KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.
The South African Police Service is expected to release the KwaZulu-Natal Crime Statistics for the 1st Quarter of 2026/2027 financial year on Friday.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the SAPS will also update the public on the state of policing in the province. The Acting Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal Major General Phumelele Makoba, is expected to discuss crime reported between April and June 2026.
South Africa's latest national quarterly crime statistics have revealed that Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape continue to bear the brunt of the country's most serious violent crimes, with Gauteng recording the highest number of murders and carjackings. At the same time, KwaZulu-Natal reported the most rape cases.
Police stations like Inanda, Ntuzuma, Chatsworth, Verulam and Phoenix ranked among South Africa’s 30 police stations with the highest reported contact-crime totals in the first quarter of 2026/2027. Contact crimes include murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.
Firoz Cachalia, the acting minister of police, said there were 5,427 murder cases, of which 1,179 were in KZN, the second-highest number in the country.
"Across South Africa, there were also 6,958 attempted murder cases, 38,589 cases of assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, and 26,839 cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances reported," he said.
In addition, there were 3,811 cases of carjackings, of which 481 were reported in KZN. According to crime statistics, the province recorded 1,088 cases of robbery at residential premises and 471 at non-residential premises. Between April and June 2026, 11,532 sexual offences were reported nationally.
However, KZN accounted for almost a fifth of the national total, recording 2,291 reported sexual offences - the highest number among the provinces. The province also recorded 124 murders of women, 233 attempted murders of women and 955 reported rapes during the three-month period.
