Homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa
South Africa: Homicides, by sex of the victim was 3,914 homicides in 2022. ▲ Rising
Homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa, 2006–2022
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa is 3,914 homicides, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.2% on the previous year and up 63.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa peaked at 3,914 homicides in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2,400 homicides, in 2011.
South Africa ranks 4th of 138 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2,727 homicides | — |
| 2007 | 2,679 homicides | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 2,546 homicides | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 2,596 homicides | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 2,742 homicides | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 2,400 homicides | -12.5% |
| 2016 | 2,639 homicides | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 2,930 homicides | +11.0% |
| 2018 | 2,771 homicides | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 2,695 homicides | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 3,255 homicides | +20.8% |
| 2022 | 3,914 homicides | +20.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,637 homicides | 2,546 homicides | 2,727 homicides | 4 |
| 2010s | 2,696 homicides | 2,400 homicides | 2,930 homicides | 6 |
| 2020s | 3,584 homicides | 3,255 homicides | 3,914 homicides | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More social development data for South Africa
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa?
- Homicides, by sex of the victim in South Africa was 3,914 homicides in 2022, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides, by sex of the victim recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3,914 homicides in 2022.
- What is the lowest homicides, by sex of the victim recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,400 homicides in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for homicides, by sex of the victim?
- South Africa ranks 4th out of 138 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicides, by sex of the victim rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides, by sex of the victim. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicidesof female victims .