2Cleveland
Cleveland, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 2 out of 10 High crime
2/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 29,236 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 78,644, 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 | 88 | 111.9 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 43 | 54.7 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 5 | 6.4 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 2 | 2.5 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 0 | 0 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 108 | 137.3 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 192 | 244.1 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 216 | 274.7 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 102 | 129.7 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 481 | 611.6 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 109 | 138.6 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 103 | 131 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 81 | 103 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 0 | 0 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 25 | 31.8 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 121 | 153.9 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 83 | 105.5 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 421 | 535.3 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 15 | 19.1 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 1 | 1.3 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 3 | 3.8 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 140 | 178 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 14 | 17.8 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 198 | 251.8 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 24 | 30.5 | 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 | 3.8 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 8 | 10.2 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 203 | 258.1 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 88 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 50 |
| Violence | 618 |
| Robbery | 590 |
| Theft and burglary | 834 |
| Drugs | 15 |
| Damage and public order | 144 |
| Other | 450 |
Questions about crime in Cleveland
- Is Cleveland safe?
- Cleveland: Safety 2 out of 10 (High crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Cleveland?
- Cleveland: Weighted crime: 29,236 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Cleveland?
- Recorded homicides in Cleveland (12 months to June 2026): 88.
