The South African per-capita murder rate has steadily escalated since 2011/12, when it was at its lowest since 1994; murders increased by 77 %, the murder rate by 53 %. The 2022/23 rate of 45 per 100 000 is the highest in 20 years. Trends vary greatly across the 9 provinces, with highest rates in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng. While 3 of them continue to show a deteriorating situation, figures in the Western Cape have declined over the past 5 years. Circumstances contributing to high murder rates differ from province to province. More research is needed for a deeper understanding of the factors driving murder in each province, and to respond more effectively.

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