Housebreaking tops household crimes in South Africa – Stats SA

The survey, which tracks household and individual experiences of crime, shows that an estimated 1.5 million incidents of housebreaking occurred during the 2024/25 financial year, affecting around 1.1 million households—roughly 5.7% of all households in the country. 

Despite the high incidence, only 43% of households reported some or all incidents to the police.

"The report shows that in 2024/25, an estimated 1.5 million incidences of housebreaking occurred, affecting 1.1 million households in South Africa. The number of affected households represents 5.7% of all households in the country. About 43% (43.4%) of households that experienced housebreaking reported some or all incidents to the police," said Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke.

Home robbery was the second most common household crime, with 259,000 incidents affecting 213,000 households, representing 1.1% of all households. 

Around 51% of these cases were reported to the police.

On the individual level, theft of personal property emerged as the most common crime, with 1.3 million incidents affecting 1.2 million individuals aged 16 years and older. 

Consumer fraud followed, with 566,000 victims and 811,000 incidents, marking a significant increase from 367,000 in 2023/24. 

However, only about 35% of victims reported the incidents to authorities.

"A total of 566,000 individuals experienced consumer fraud with an estimated 811,000 incidents. This type of crime increased from 367 000 in 2023/24 to 566 000 in 2024/25. About 35% (34.9%) of the individuals reported some or all incidents to the police," Maluleke added.

The survey also highlights concerns about personal safety. 

Around 81% of South Africans aged 16 and older felt safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods during the day, while only 36.1% felt safe walking alone at night. 

The data shows that females were more likely to feel very unsafe walking alone at night compared to males.

Crime patterns differ sharply between provinces. 

Gauteng recorded the highest proportion of individuals experiencing theft of personal property at 3.6%, while Limpopo had the lowest at 1.2%. 

In contrast, Limpopo residents reported the highest sense of safety, with 97.2% feeling safe walking alone during the day and 64.2% at night.

Meanwhile, residents of Western Cape and Mpumalanga reported feeling less safe, especially after dark, highlighting stark regional disparities.

While housebreaking rates decreased slightly compared to the previous year, home robberies and sexual offences recorded a marginal increase. 

Murder, theft of motor vehicles, and assault were among the household crimes most frequently reported to the police.

Reasons cited by households for not reporting crimes included perceptions that the police could not act due to lack of proof or would not intervene, and in some cases, victims opted to handle matters themselves or had no insurance to claim.

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