Homicides (UN, World) in South Africa
South Africa: Homicides (UN, World) was 27,272 homicides in 2022. ▼ Falling
Homicides in South Africa, 1994–2022
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
In 2022, homicides in South Africa stood at 27,272 homicides. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.3% on the previous year and up 68.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in South Africa peaked at 27,272 homicides in 2022 and was at its lowest, 15,554 homicides, in 2011.
That places South Africa 4th out of 179 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Homicides (UN, World) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 25,965 homicides | — |
| 1995 | 26,877 homicides | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 25,470 homicides | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 24,486 homicides | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 25,127 homicides | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 22,604 homicides | -10.0% |
| 2000 | 21,758 homicides | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 21,405 homicides | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 21,553 homicides | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 19,824 homicides | -8.0% |
| 2004 | 18,793 homicides | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 18,528 homicides | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 19,106 homicides | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 18,400 homicides | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 18,084 homicides | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 16,767 homicides | -7.3% |
| 2010 | 15,893 homicides | -5.2% |
| 2011 | 15,554 homicides | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 16,213 homicides | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 17,023 homicides | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 17,805 homicides | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 18,673 homicides | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 19,016 homicides | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 20,336 homicides | +6.9% |
| 2018 | 21,022 homicides | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 21,325 homicides | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 19,972 homicides | -6.3% |
| 2021 | 25,181 homicides | +26.1% |
| 2022 | 27,272 homicides | +8.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 27,272 homicides is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 241.5 homicides, 112.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 27,272 homicides is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 539.5 homicides, 50.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25,088 homicides | 22,604 homicides | 26,877 homicides | 6 |
| 2000s | 19,422 homicides | 16,767 homicides | 21,758 homicides | 10 |
| 2010s | 18,286 homicides | 15,554 homicides | 21,325 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 24,142 homicides | 19,972 homicides | 27,272 homicides | 3 |
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 in South Africa?
- Homicides in South Africa was 27,272 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 recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 27,272 homicides in 2022.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15,554 homicides in 2011.
- How does South Africa rank for homicides?
- South Africa ranks 4th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicides rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides.