3Wellington
Wellington, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 3 out of 10 Above average crime
3/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 25,022 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 67,254, 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 | 15 | 22.3 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 36 | 53.5 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 15 | 22.3 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 6 | 8.9 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 3 | 4.5 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 22 | 32.7 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 255 | 379.2 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 513 | 762.8 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 12 | 17.8 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 1 | 1.5 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 90 | 133.8 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 46 | 68.4 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 205 | 304.8 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 123 | 182.9 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 20 | 29.7 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 70 | 104.1 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 17 | 25.3 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 126 | 187.3 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 655 | 973.9 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 962 | 1,430.4 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 5 | 7.4 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 6 | 8.9 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 298 | 443.1 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 4 | 5.9 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 17 | 25.3 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 27 | 40.1 | 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 | 4.5 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 213 | 316.7 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 81 | 120.4 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 15 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 60 |
| Violence | 803 |
| Robbery | 136 |
| Theft and burglary | 1,216 |
| Drugs | 962 |
| Damage and public order | 309 |
| Other | 345 |
Questions about crime in Wellington
- Is Wellington safe?
- Wellington: Safety 3 out of 10 (Above average crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Wellington?
- Wellington: Weighted crime: 25,022 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Wellington?
- Recorded homicides in Wellington (12 months to June 2026): 15.
