2Knysna
Knysna, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 2 out of 10 High crime
2/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 26,868 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 96,928, 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 | 17 | 17.5 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 82 | 84.6 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 26 | 26.8 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 6 | 6.2 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 5 | 5.2 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 9 | 9.3 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 558 | 575.7 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 676 | 697.4 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 5 | 5.2 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 126 | 130 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 115 | 118.6 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 422 | 435.4 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 87 | 89.8 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 1 | 1 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 131 | 135.2 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 13 | 13.4 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 178 | 183.6 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 894 | 922.3 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 1,428 | 1,473.3 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 7 | 7.2 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 18 | 18.6 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 362 | 373.5 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 15 | 15.5 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 329 | 339.4 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 22 | 22.7 | 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 | 2 | 2.1 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 191 | 197.1 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 301 | 310.5 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 17 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 119 |
| Violence | 1,248 |
| Robbery | 241 |
| Theft and burglary | 1,726 |
| Drugs | 1,428 |
| Damage and public order | 387 |
| Other | 860 |
Questions about crime in Knysna
- Is Knysna safe?
- Knysna: Safety 2 out of 10 (High crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Knysna?
- Knysna: Weighted crime: 26,868 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Knysna?
- Recorded homicides in Knysna (12 months to June 2026): 17.
