Political parties have harshly criticized the delayed release of South Africa's 2025–2026 first and second quarter crime statistics, which reveal a startling reality: 63 people are murdered every day, and violent and organized crime is rampant throughout the nation.
ActionSA and RISE Mzansi caution that the numbers show a police force that is unable to adequately defend communities, leaving people open to daily acts of brutality, gang warfare, and rising rates of gender-based violence.
This comes after Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia released crime statistics on Friday that show a country under siege. On average, 63 murders and more than 100 sexual offences are reported daily, while attempted murders and assaults with intent to cause grievous harm continue to rise. Some crimes, such as robbery and carjacking, have slightly declined, but the overall trend underscores a country still grappling with widespread violence and insecurity.
ActionSA Member of Parliament Dereleen James emphasised the urgency of the situation as South Africa officially kicked off the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children on 25 November, running until 10 December.
“Worryingly, the crime statistics reveal that gender-based violence has increased across both quarters, confirming that vulnerable South Africans continue to face escalating danger in communities,” she said.
James warned that even schools are not spared.
“Even schools are not being spared. Almost 200 rapes were recorded on school grounds during this period, underscoring that places meant to protect children have increasingly become sites of violent trauma,” she said.
James also highlighted the growing threat of gang violence in the Western Cape, where 282 gang-related murders were recorded between April and June, followed by 293 between July and September.
“In Cape Town, the picture becomes even more troubling. Four of the top five murder stations in the country fall within the city, making clear that it remains the epicentre of a deeper failure to end the violence terrorising forgotten communities,” she said.
“Crime statistics are not merely numbers. They are essential tools for policy decisions, public oversight, and rebuilding trust in a nation living in fear,” James added.
“Sadly, the delayed release inspires little confidence that government is properly capacitated to deal with the violent crime destroying the country. With both the Ad-hoc Committee and the Madlanga Commission confirming the extent of criminal capture, it is increasingly clear that South Africa has been overtaken by rampant lawlessness,” she said.
RISE Mzansi National Assembly Whip Makashule Gana echoed these concerns, describing the delayed data as evidence of a South African Police Service unable to effectively combat violent and organised crime.
“Murder, rape, and mass murders remain stubbornly high; these are not just numbers but victims of a society and police service that has been criminally infiltrated and at war with itself, as exposed by the Ad Hoc Committee and Madlanga Commission,” he said.
Gana added that the Cape Flats alone averaged seven murders per day between January and March, and that between Q1 and Q2 there were 328 mass-murder incidents, resulting in 1,143 victims.
He also emphasized that addressing Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) as a National Disaster under the National Disaster Management Act demands immediate political commitment and accountability.
“This requires political will and accountability to address a crisis that still results in over 100 rapes every day,” he said.
The country has officially begun the 16 Days of Activism campaign, highlighting the alarming reality of sexual violence and emphasizing the urgent need for coordinated action to protect vulnerable communities.
Gana further revealed that the top 10 police stations for rape are spread across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, and Western Cape, with over 100 stations declared “uninhabitable,” fracturing the relationship between communities and law enforcement.
RISE Mzansi said it will continue to call for better-resourced detectives, improved detection capabilities, and a thorough re-evaluation of Crime Intelligence. “If we are serious about keeping South Africans safe, urgent reforms are needed,” Gana concluded.
The Star
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