4Harrismith
Harrismith, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 4 out of 10 Above average crime
4/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 18,558 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 66,970, 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 | 27 | 40.3 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 52 | 77.6 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 8 | 11.9 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 3 | 4.5 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 0 | 0 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 9 | 13.4 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 242 | 361.4 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 177 | 264.3 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 3 | 4.5 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 100 | 149.3 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 43 | 64.2 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 248 | 370.3 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 104 | 155.3 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 91 | 135.9 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 26 | 38.8 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 8 | 11.9 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 48 | 71.7 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 268 | 400.2 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 304 | 453.9 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 2 | 3 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 74 | 110.5 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 23 | 34.3 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 282 | 421.1 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 20 | 29.9 | 24.2 |
| Sexual offences found by police action | 344 | 513.7 | 20.3 |
| Mainly sex work offences, not attacks on a person. | |||
| Child neglect and ill-treatment | 8 | 11.9 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 21 | 31.4 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 46 | 68.7 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 27 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 63 |
| Violence | 431 |
| Robbery | 143 |
| Theft and burglary | 793 |
| Drugs | 304 |
| Damage and public order | 76 |
| Other | 744 |
Questions about crime in Harrismith
- Is Harrismith safe?
- Harrismith: Safety 4 out of 10 (Above average crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Harrismith?
- Harrismith: Weighted crime: 18,558 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Harrismith?
- Recorded homicides in Harrismith (12 months to June 2026): 27.
