Editor LauraCrime is an unfortunate reality, and it affects everyone in some way or another. Whether you’re a victim of crime or just want to stay safe, it’s important to know what the crime statistics for South Africa by race are. In this article, we will provide you with information on the most common crimes in each category and give you a snapshot of the state of crime in South Africa as a whole. Make sure you read all the way to the end for additional tips on staying safe!
Whites
Crime Statistics South Africa by Race
According to the South African Police Service, crime statistics for the country are broken down into six racial groups: Coloureds, Indians, Africans, Whites, Asians and Other. The following is a list of crime statistics for each racial group in 2011:
Coloureds: 34% of the population but 49% of all crime
Indians: 3% of the population but 10% of all crime
Africans: 15% of the population but 36% of all murder/manslaughter cases
Whites: 69% of the population but only 81 out of a total 10 000 recorded crimes (0.8%) were committed against them
Asians: 4% of the population but 12% of all serious offences (i.e. murder, rape etc.)
Other: 2% of the population but 9% of all property crimes (i.e. theft)
The above statistics show that Whites are largely unaffected by crimes against other races; however, they do experience a higher rate of property crime compared to other racial groups.
Blacks
Crime Statistics South Africa By Race
South Africa is known for its high crime rates, but what does the data actually show by race?
According to Statistics South Africa’s most recent report on crime, in 2012/2013 there were more than 1.2 million incidents of crime reported nationally. However, when broken down by race the stats are a little more varied.
The largest group of victims of crime in South Africa are Blacks – accounting for 54% of all victims. Whites make up 29% of the victim population and Indians make up 6% of victims. This differs from other countries where Asians are more commonly the victims of violent crimes.
There are also significant differences when it comes to how often different races actually commit crimes. For example, while Blacks account for 54% of all victimizations, they only constitute 27% of the total number of offenders. Whites make up 31% of offenders and Indians account for 3%.
This indicates that while Black people continue to be victimized at disproportionately high rates, they are not as likely to perpetrate crimes themselves.
Asians
According to the 2016 Crime Statistics South Africa report released by the South African Police Service (SAPS), there were a total of 5,215 murders in the country in 2016. Out of this number, 3,527 (or 60%) were committed by people who identified themselves as white while 2,815 (or 40%) were committed by people who identified themselves as black or coloured.
In terms of murder rates per 100 000 population, white people accounted for 45% of all murder victims while black and coloured people accounted for 55% and 10% of murder victims respectively. This indicates that although black and coloured people are disproportionately affected by crime compared to white people, they still account for a small number of overall murder victims.
While murder rates vary considerably from region to region in South Africa, overall the country experiences a higher rate ofmurder than any other country in sub-Saharan Africa. This is likely due to the high levels of poverty and inequality that exist in South Africa as well as the lack of socio-economic development opportunities for many citizens.
Coloureds
According to the 2016 Crime Statistics South Africa by Race report released by the South African Police Service (SAPS), there are different races that are disproportionately represented in crime statistics. The report states that black people are arrested and convicted at a rate of almost three times that of white people. This is despite the fact that they make up only nine percent of the population. The report also found that coloureds make up eighteen percent of the population, but account for thirty-four percent of arrests and fifty-seven percent of convictions.
The disparity between arrest and conviction rates for different races can be attributed to a number of factors, including socio-economic status, access to education and resources, and exposure to violence or crime. Racism is also a factor, as racism leads to discrimination and prejudice against certain groups, which in turn can lead to higher rates of crime among those groups.
White Crime Rates
White crime rates in South Africa are significantly lower than for any other race, but this does not mean that all white people are law-abiding. Statistics show that a disproportionately high number of white people are incarcerated, which suggests that they may be more likely to engage in criminal behavior than other races.
In 2015/16, the incarceration rate for whites was 3.6 per 100,000 population, while the rate for blacks was 28.7 per 100,000 population. This implies that whites are nearly three times as likely to be incarcerated as black people. However, the incarceration rate for Indians was 6.5 per 100,000 population and the rate for coloureds was 12.2 per 100,000 population – both of which were higher than the rate for whites. Therefore, although white crime rates are lower than those of any other race in South Africa, this does not mean that all white people are law-abiding citizens.
Black Crime Rates
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), there are three main races in South Africa: White, Black, and Coloured. Black crime rates are higher than white or coloured crime rates…
The SAPS defines black crime as any offence that is committed by a person who is of African descent. This includes both crimes that are classified as serious crimes, such as murder, rape, and robbery; and less serious offences, such as public violence and damage to property.
In 2009/10, black people represented about 27% of the population of South Africa but made up about 50% of all criminal suspects…
There are a number of reasons why black crime rates are higher than those of other races. One reason is that black people are more likely to commit violent crimes than white or coloured people. Another reason is that police officers are more likely to arrest blacks than whites or coloured people for the same offence…
Coloured Crime Rates
According to the South African Police Service, coloured crime rates are considerably higher than those of whites and other races. The 2012/13 Crime Statistics report showed that coloureds were more likely to be victims of violent crimes (22%), property crimes (41%) and sexual offences (8%). This is despite the fact that coloureds only make up about 12% of the population. The high incidence of crime among coloureds can be attributed to a number of factors, including poverty, social exclusion and racism.
The South African government has responded to the high incidence of crime among coloureds by implementing various programmes aimed at reducing vulnerability to criminal behaviour and promoting social inclusion. These programmes include the Targeted Assistance Programme for Women Victims of Crime, which provides financial assistance and counselling to women who have been victims of crime, and the Gang Prevention Taskforce, which focuses on preventing gang violence.
The crime statistics for South Africa by race are as follows: White people account for 69% of the population, but they commit only 43% of all crimes. The next most common group is black people, who account for 26% of the population and commit 48% of all crimes. This suggests that white people are more likely to commit a crime than any other race, but when it comes to actually committing a crime, black people are more likely to do so than anyone else.