Majestic South African town rocked by sudden rise in crime

Howick, a town of 42 749 residents, is a bucket-list destination for many South Africans.

Yet today the tourism town is experiencing a sharp rise in crime.

Crime rose 45% in one quarter

As the South African Police Service (SAPS) prepares to release second-quarter data, the first quarter still has unexplored data.

Among the countless pages of spreadsheets is a fascinating discovery: between April and June, crime in Howick rose by 45% compared to the same period last year.

Howick is one of South Africa’s most majestic towns.

The small town is home to Howick Falls on the Umgeni River that descends 95 metres down cliffs.

The town also has plenty of history, being the location where former President and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela was arrested in 1962.

But this history and natural beauty are taking a backseat as Howick falls victim to a rise in crime.

Most police precincts in KwaZulu-Natal’s uMgungundlovu District Municipality experienced a rise in crime, which means Howick is only part of a much larger and more worrying trend.

Yet what makes Howick most notable is that the small town experienced the highest percentage rise in crime.

Very few police districts in the country have encountered such a sharp rise in crime.

But there’s good news for Howick: despite a 45% rise in the first quarter, it still hasn’t returned to its 2019 peak. If this trend continues, that could change when SAPS releases its full-year statistics.

The crimes on the rise in Howick

Nearly every crime category in Howick increased in the first quarter.

But the crimes with the sharpest increase include theft and commercial crime.

Theft and commercial crime, which feature in the top five crimes in the police precinct, rose 122.8% and 45.5%, respectively.

The town also recorded five murders in the first quarter, up from four over the same period in 2025.

However, vehicle theft, aggravated robbery, and theft from vehicles all declined.