2Swellendam
Swellendam, 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: 27,403 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 33,964, 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 | 8 | 23.6 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 31 | 91.3 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 6 | 17.7 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 2 | 5.9 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 0 | 0 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 24 | 70.7 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 142 | 418.1 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 277 | 815.6 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 4 | 11.8 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 14 | 41.2 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 12 | 35.3 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 161 | 474 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 58 | 170.8 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 6 | 17.7 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 24 | 70.7 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 1 | 2.9 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 49 | 144.3 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 365 | 1,074.7 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 588 | 1,731.2 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 1 | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 4 | 11.8 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 123 | 362.1 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 6 | 17.7 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 178 | 524.1 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 6 | 17.7 | 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 | 5.9 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 99 | 291.5 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 126 | 371 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 8 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 39 |
| Violence | 447 |
| Robbery | 26 |
| Theft and burglary | 664 |
| Drugs | 588 |
| Damage and public order | 128 |
| Other | 417 |
Questions about crime in Swellendam
- Is Swellendam safe?
- Swellendam: Safety 2 out of 10 (High crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Swellendam?
- Swellendam: Weighted crime: 27,403 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Swellendam?
- Recorded homicides in Swellendam (12 months to June 2026): 8.
