WATCH: Shocking video shows Police officer ramming and Injuring a suspect with his vehicle

Johannesburg, South Africa – August 22, 2025 – South Africa continues to grapple with elevated levels of violent crime, placing significant pressure on law enforcement while also raising concerns about police conduct. Official statistics reveal a complex landscape where officers face daily threats from criminals, yet reports of excessive force by police persist.

South Africa's homicide rate reached 45 per 100,000 people in the 2022/23 fiscal year, marking a 50% increase from 2012/13 and the highest in two decades. Between April 2022 and February 2023, there were 27,494 recorded killings nationwide. From 1994 to 2018, more than 500,000 murders occurred in the country. In the last quarter of 2023, police recorded 7,710 homicides, an increase of 155 compared to the same period in 2022. Kidnapping cases rose by 41.7% in 2022/23, while attempted murders increased by 13.7%.

This surge in crime has directly impacted police officers. Between April and June 2023, 31 officers were killed by criminals, nearly double the number from the same period in 2022. South Africa ranks among countries with the highest rates of police deaths globally. A study of South African Police Service (SAPS) personnel found that 19 officers (14% of those injured) died from on-duty injuries, highlighting the unacceptably high risks faced by law enforcement. With over 580,000 private security guards operating in the country—outnumbering police—the reliance on private entities underscores the strain on public forces.

Amid these challenges, data from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for the 2023/24 year shows 3,176 reports of serious assault and 273 reports of torture involving police. The same period recorded 460 deaths in police custody or resulting from police action. Cases of rape in police custody increased by 75%. IPID documented 5,136 total police-related incidents in 2023/24. Police killings in South Africa occur at a rate 8.64 times higher per capita than in Canada. In 2020, at least 10 deaths were attributed to police actions.

Recent reports indicate a 20% rise in torture cases from previous years. Between April and June 2024, 966 murders of women were reported, reflecting broader violence trends that intersect with policing. In the first quarter of 2025, major violent crimes like murder and attempted murder showed declines compared to the same period in 2024, though levels remain elevated.

Statistics also highlight a disparity in lethal force outcomes: while 28 police officers were killed in a referenced period, more than 280 civilians were killed by police, exceeding expected ratios based on international benchmarks. The SAPS closed nearly 80,000 unsolved murder cases since 2018, indicating resource constraints.

These figures, drawn from official SAPS and IPID reports, illustrate the dual realities of policing in South Africa: a force contending with rampant criminality while facing scrutiny over its methods.