3Ladysmith
Ladysmith, South Africa: crime rate and Safety score
Safety 3 out of 10 Above average crime
3/10 in South Africa · 1/10 in the world
Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
Weighted crime: 20,398 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026)
Residents: about 160,431, 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 | 55 | 34.3 | 34.6 |
| Sexual offences | |||
| Rape | 111 | 69.2 | 61.8 |
| Sexual assault | 29 | 18.1 | 11.6 |
| Attempted sexual offences | 6 | 3.7 | 4 |
| Other contact sexual offences | 1 | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Violence | |||
| Attempted murder | 100 | 62.3 | 44.5 |
| Assault with intent to cause serious harm | 544 | 339.1 | 265.1 |
| Common assault | 712 | 443.8 | 291.2 |
| Kidnapping | 60 | 37.4 | 28.7 |
| Abduction of a minor | 0 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Robbery | |||
| Armed or aggravated robbery | 291 | 181.4 | 178.3 |
| Includes carjacking, house and business robbery and cash-in-transit heists. | |||
| Common robbery | 167 | 104.1 | 67.4 |
| Theft and burglary | |||
| Home burglary | 347 | 216.3 | 193.2 |
| Burglary of other premises | 118 | 73.6 | 66.4 |
| Livestock theft | 77 | 48 | 33.5 |
| Shoplifting | 157 | 97.9 | 59.8 |
| Vehicle theft | 16 | 10 | 45.2 |
| Theft from vehicles | 186 | 115.9 | 112.4 |
| Other theft | 741 | 461.9 | 354.3 |
| Drugs | |||
| Drug offences | 557 | 347.2 | 357.5 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Damage and public order | |||
| Public violence | 3 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
| Arson | 6 | 3.7 | 4.1 |
| Malicious damage to property | 251 | 156.5 | 160.3 |
| Other | |||
| Culpable homicide | 21 | 13.1 | 15.2 |
| Unlawful killing without intent, mostly on the roads. | |||
| Driving under the influence | 759 | 473.1 | 133.3 |
| Found through police action, so it rises with policing. | |||
| Illegal firearms and ammunition | 42 | 26.2 | 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 | 4 | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| Crimen injuria (serious insult) | 390 | 243.1 | 40.7 |
| Fraud and commercial crime | 587 | 365.9 | 228.2 |
Source: SAPS, updated 29 October 2026.
Recorded crime by type (12 months to June 2026)
| Homicide | 55 |
|---|---|
| Sexual offences | 147 |
| Violence | 1,416 |
| Robbery | 458 |
| Theft and burglary | 1,642 |
| Drugs | 557 |
| Damage and public order | 260 |
| Other | 1,803 |
Questions about crime in Ladysmith
- Is Ladysmith safe?
- Ladysmith: Safety 3 out of 10 (Above average crime). Compared with 1129 places in the same country (10 = lowest crime).
- What is the crime rate in Ladysmith?
- Ladysmith: Weighted crime: 20,398 per 100,000 people (12 months to June 2026).
- How many murders are there in Ladysmith?
- Recorded homicides in Ladysmith (12 months to June 2026): 55.
