Chatsworth, Verulam and Phoenix rank among SA’s highest-contact-crime police stations

Crime stats

Chatsworth, Verulam and Phoenix ranked among South Africa’s 30 police stations with the highest reported contact-crime totals in the first quarter of 2026/27, while crime-fighting groups warned that under-reporting and limited police resources may obscure conditions on the ground.

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Chatsworth, Verulam and Phoenix ranked among South Africa’s 30 police stations with the highest reported contact-crime totals in the first quarter of 2026/27, while crime-fighting groups warned that under-reporting and limited police resources may obscure conditions on the ground.

Contact crimes include murder, attempted murder, sexual offences, and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

On Friday, Firoz Cachalia, the acting minister of police, released the crime statistics for the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year (April to June 2026).

Chatsworth had the 19th highest number of contact crimes reported in the country and was 6th in the province with a total of 650 cases.

Verulam, 23rd nationally and 8th in KwaZulu-Natal with 594 cases. Phoenix was 28th in the country and 10th locally with 554 cases.

According to the statistics, there were 5 427 murder cases, of which 1 179 were in KZN, the second-highest number in the country.

Across South Africa, there were also 6 958 attempted murder cases, 38 589 cases of assault with the intent to inflict grievous bodily harm, and 26 839 cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances reported.

In addition, there were 3 811 cases of carjackings, of which 481 were reported in KZN.

In respect of robberies at residential premises, there were 1 088 cases and 471 cases of robbery at non-residential premises in the province.

In his address, Cachalia said the crime statistics were not merely numbers on a page.

“Behind every statistic is a victim, a grieving family, a traumatised community and, in far too many cases, a life that can never be replaced.”

Cachalia said there were notable decreases in several of the country's most serious contact crimes.

“Murder has declined, marking yet another consecutive quarter in which this crime has shown a downward trajectory. We have also seen significant reductions in crimes such as carjacking, residential robberies, business robberies and cash-in-transit robberies. These improvements are not insignificant.

“Seeing sustained declines across these categories demonstrates that intelligence-led policing, targeted operations and improved collaboration between law enforcement agencies are beginning to have an impact, while also underscoring the importance of broader social interventions to address the root causes of violence.”

He said while percentage decreases were encouraging, they do not erase the reality that far too many South Africans continued to lose their lives through violent crime.

REACTION

Crime fighters

Gareth Naidoo, spokesperson for KZN VIP Protection Services based in Phoenix, said a significant number of cases were unreported, with some people being discouraged from opening criminal cases because they perceive the process as lengthy, or believe it may not ultimately produce the desired result.

He said he continued to see a significant number of armed robberies, housebreakings and theft.

“Petty and opportunistic crime remains a major concern within Phoenix. From our operational experience, substance abuse and the accessibility of illicit drugs are contributing factors in some incidents. Individuals seeking money to sustain drug use may resort to theft, housebreaking, robbery and the theft of copper and other items that can easily be sold.”

Naidoo said they have seen a “concerning” increase in hijacking-related incidents that appeared opportunistic, and that it involved groups targeting motorists at vulnerable moments during the morning and afternoon peak periods.

He said criminals were becoming increasingly knowledgeable about law-enforcement procedures and how investigations were conducted.

“In the same way that security professionals continuously develop their knowledge and methods, experienced criminals learn from previous arrests and investigations and adapt accordingly.”

Naidoo said cooperation between SAPS and private security was important, as the latter have significant resources operating within communities and could provide valuable information, surveillance, rapid response and operational support.

“The effectiveness of that relationship ultimately depends on consistent communication, information sharing and all role players actively working towards the same objective.”

While additional policing resources would be beneficial, Naidoo said these needed to be strategically directed towards the underlying drivers and networks facilitating crime.

Val Pillay, interim chairperson for the Phoenix CPF, said a decline nationally does not necessarily mean that residents in communities felt safer.

Pillay said the CPF was concerned about Phoenix ranking among the stations with the highest number of contact crimes.

“However, we believe the statistics should not simply be viewed as numbers. They must prompt us to ask why these crimes are occurring, where they are occurring and what interventions are required to prevent them.”

Prem Balram, the head of Reaction Unit South Africa, decreased statistics may be due to low reporting.

Balram said people had become disillusioned with reporting incidents out of the belief that there would be no arrests or a recovery of goods.

He said murder was one of the crimes that was increasing.

“We are attending multiple cases a day. Killings are often related to taxi or drug wars, or alcohol-fuelled. We attend several calls regarding stabbings or shootings that occur at or near taverns, especially over the weekend.”

Balram said residents were becoming more fearful as the perpetrators were becoming more violent.

“They are not afraid to shoot or hurt a person, even in an unprovoked situation. More elderly and disabled residents are also coming under attack. While the statistics may show a decline in serious crimes, it is a different scenario on the ground.”

Rachel Wilkin, spokesperson for the Verulam CPF, said the lack of an adequate government response to the chronic shortages of manpower and resources required to enable SAPS to implement consistent and effective crime-prevention strategies remained problematic.

“While we fully support public-private partnerships and recognise the valuable contribution made by private security and other stakeholders, this cannot become a substitute for the State's constitutional responsibility to ensure effective policing and public safety. The burden of fighting crime cannot progressively be transferred to communities and the private sector.

“The government needs to recognise that crime is not only a criminal-justice issue. It has a profound impact on the psychological wellbeing, economic security and quality of life of our citizens. When people do not feel safe in their homes, businesses, schools and public spaces, the consequences extend far beyond the individual crime incident,” she said.

Security companies and the Chatsworth CPF did not comment at the time of publication.

Professor Nirmala Gopal, a criminologist and an academic at the University of KZN, said each reduction in crime represented an individual spared from the trauma of victimisation - a family saved from heartache, and a community moving toward a safer and more secure future.

“In addition, the recent decrease in murders is encouraging, especially considering South Africa's historical position among the top 50 murder rates globally until 2024. This decline is a vital first step, but we must take proactive measures to lower these figures even further. It is not just about safety; it’s about transforming our national and international reputation. Changing perceptions directly impacts tourism and investment, both of which are crucial to our economy,” she said.

Gopal added that the decrease in sexual offences, while encouraging, may be attributed to fewer victims reporting, police interventions, or even changes in the behaviour of potential perpetrators.

“Nonetheless, we must remain cautious; celebrating this decline as a definitive change in criminal behaviour by sexual predators would be premature. A society free from sexual offences is our ultimate goal, and we cannot claim success until we see substantial and sustained changes.”

Gopal said the public’s confidence in policing was critical, and we must advocate for more significant decreases over a longer period to reclaim that trust.

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