1Thembalethu
Thembalethu, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 1 out of 10 High crime
1/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 68,794 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 29,914, 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 | 34 | 113.7 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 91 | 304.2 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 26 | 86.9 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 3 | 10 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 1 | 3.3 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 62 | 207.3 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 391 | 1,307.1 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 478 | 1,597.9 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 10 | 33.4 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 1 | 3.3 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 210 | 702 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 69 | 230.7 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 274 | 916 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 11 | 36.8 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 11 | 36.8 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 35 | 117 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 15 | 50.1 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 61 | 203.9 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 189 | 631.8 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 723 | 2,416.9 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 4 | 13.4 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 17 | 56.8 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 186 | 621.8 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 7 | 23.4 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 73 | 244 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 12 | 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 | 7 | 23.4 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 81 | 270.8 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 82 | 274.1 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 34 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 121 |
| Violence | 942 |
| Robbery | 279 |
| Theft and burglary | 596 |
| Drugs | 723 |
| Damage and public order | 207 |
| Other | 262 |
Questions about crime in Thembalethu
- Is Thembalethu safe?
- Thembalethu: Safety 1 out of 10 (High crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Thembalethu?
- Thembalethu: Weighted crime: 68,794 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Thembalethu?
- Recorded homicides in Thembalethu (12 months to June 2026): 34.
