6Newcastle
Newcastle, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 6 out of 10 Average crime
6/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 11,958 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 187,714, a WorldPop 2025 modelled estimate summed within the police precinct, not a census count.
Crime by type, as recorded by SAPS (12 months to June 2026)
| Type | Count | Per 100,000 a year | All places this source covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide | |||
| Murder | 25 | 13.3 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 55 | 29.3 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 26 | 13.9 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 2 | 1.1 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 3 | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 88 | 46.9 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 321 | 171 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 553 | 294.6 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 16 | 8.5 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 2 | 1.1 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 171 | 91.1 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 109 | 58.1 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 272 | 144.9 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 133 | 70.9 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 62 | 33 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 152 | 81 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 34 | 18.1 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 142 | 75.6 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 928 | 494.4 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 616 | 328.2 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 1 | 0.5 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 3 | 1.6 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 220 | 117.2 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 18 | 9.6 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 300 | 159.8 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 21 | 11.2 | 24.2 |
| Sexual offences found by police action | 0 | 0 | 20.3 |
| Mainly sex work offences, not attacks on a person. | |||
| Child neglect and ill-treatment | 3 | 1.6 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 89 | 47.4 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 854 | 454.9 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 25 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 86 |
| Violence | 980 |
| Robbery | 280 |
| Theft and burglary | 1,723 |
| Drugs | 616 |
| Damage and public order | 224 |
| Other | 1,285 |
Questions about crime in Newcastle
- Is Newcastle safe?
- Newcastle: Safety 6 out of 10 (Average crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Newcastle?
- Newcastle: Weighted crime: 11,958 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Newcastle?
- Recorded homicides in Newcastle (12 months to June 2026): 25.
