Hippo Staff Writer · Published 3 September 2024 · Updated 4 July 2026 · 4 min read

SA property related crime – How has it changed

According to 2024 statistics, South Africa has the highest crime index in Africa and ranks as the fifth most dangerous country globally. The devastating reality is that each of us has been touched by crime in some way in this country.

But though it may not feel like it, crime – especially as it relates to property – has come down significantly in the past decade.

In this article, Hippo looked at the South African Police Service’s latest available annual report (2022/23) to see how property crime levels have changed in South Africa. The results may surprise you.

Then vs Now: Comparing Property-Related Crime in South Africa Over 10 Years

There are four categories of crime in South Africa – contact crime; contact-related crime, property-related crime and other serious crime.

The table below shows how incidents of property crime have changed in the past decade. As you can see, this type of crime has increased in the past 3 years but is significantly lower than it was in 2013/14:

Year	Theft out of or from Motor Vehicle	% Change
2013/14	143,801	N/A
2014/15	145,358	1.08%
2015/16	139,386	-4.11%
2016/17	138,172	-0.87%
2017/18	129,174	-6.51%
2018/19	125,076	-3.17%
2019/20	118,213	-5.49%
2020/21	83,183	-29.62%
2021/22	81,504	-2.02%
2022/23	87,173	6.96%

Year	Stock-theft	% Change
2013/14	24,534	N/A
2014/15	24,965	1.76%
2015/16	24,715	-1.00%
2016/17	26,902	8.85%
2017/18	28,849	7.24%
2018/19	29,672	2.85%
2019/20	28,418	-4.23%
2020/21	26,31	-7.42%
2021/22	25,001	-4.98%
2022/23	25,255	1.02%

Year	Property-related Crime (Total)	% Change
2013/14	558,228	N/A
2014/15	553,487	-0.85%
2015/16	543,524	-1.80%
2016/17	540,653	-0.53%
2017/18	507,975	-6.06%
2018/19	495,161	-2.53%
2019/20	469,224	-5.24%
2020/21	369,745	-21.20%
2021/22	362,274	-2.02%
2022/23	375,97	3.77%

Year	Burglary at Non-Residential Premises	% Change
2013/14	73,464	N/A
2014/15	74,358	1.22%
2015/16	75,008	0.87%
2016/17	75,618	0.81%
2017/18	71,195	-5.85%
2018/19	71,224	0.04%
2019/20	69,713	-2.12%
2020/21	65,508	-6.04%
2021/22	62,197	-5.06%
2022/23	62,588	0.63%

Year	Burglary at Residential Premises	% Change
2013/14	259,784	N/A
2014/15	253,716	-2.34%
2015/16	250,606	-1.23%
2016/17	246,654	-1.58%
2017/18	228,094	-7.54%
2018/19	220,865	-3.17%
2019/20	205,959	-6.74%
2020/21	161,853	-21.43%
2021/22	166,720	3.01%
2022/23	174,029	4.39%

Year	Theft of Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle	% Change
2013/14	56,645	N/A
2014/15	55,090	-2.75%
2015/16	53,809	-2.33%
2016/17	53,307	-0.93%
2017/18	50,663	-4.97%
2018/19	49,477	-2.34%
2019/20	46,921	-5.17%
2020/21	33,082	-29.52%
2021/22	34,852	5.35%
2022/23	37,761	8.36%

Other Crime Categories

If we look at 2022/23 figures that show our biggest crime scourges in South Africa, we can see that theft and house burglary are some of the most prevalent crimes in our country:

Here's the new table generated using the provided template and data:

Rank	Crime	Number of Cases
10	Burglary at non-residential premises	62,588
9	Theft out of or from motor vehicle	87,173
8	Commercial crime	112,592
7	Malicious damage to property	115,118
6	Robbery with aggravating circumstances	146,125
5	Drug-related crime	162,122
4	Burglary at residential premises	163,493
3	Assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm	169,374
2	Common assault	185,374
1	All theft not mentioned elsewhere	275,452

How To Keep Yourself Safe from Property-Related Crime in South Africa

Being aware of crime statistics is one thing, but there are other steps you can take to make yourself less likely to be a victim of property crime:

Stay alert: Awareness is your best ally. Pay attention to your surroundings, especially in unfamiliar areas. Be conscious of the people around you and trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

Home Icon Home sweet secure home: Make your home a fortress. Invest in good quality locks, install security gates, an electric fence and an alarm system. You might even consider CCTV. Remember to lock your doors and windows, even when you're at home.

Car Icon Travel smart: Be cautious when you're driving or using public transport. Keep your car doors locked when you're on the road and put your valuables in the boot. Park in well-lit, busy areas. If you're using public transport, stick with the crowd and avoid getting off at isolated stops.

hone Icon Know your numbers: We're not talking about crime stats here. Keep important emergency phone numbers, including those for local law enforcement, security companies, and trusted friends and family, handy.

Self-Defence Icon Get training: Consider taking self-defence classes. Knowing how to protect yourself can boost your confidence and deter potential attackers.

Community Icon Build a community: Get to know your neighbours. A tight-knit community looks out for one another. Join neighbourhood watch groups and engage with local initiatives aimed at enhancing safety.

Insurance Icon Protect yourself financially: While you can't always prevent theft and robbery, you can insure your belongings to protect your pocket. If you don't yet have car, home or building insurance, now would be a good time to use Hippo to find the best coverage.

Sources

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