Western Cape records decrease in murders

The latest crime stats released for the Western Cape show a 6.7 percent decrease in the murder rate for the second quarter of this financial year.

The number of murders for the period April to June was down from 1 140 in 2025 to 1 071 cases during the same period this year.

Western Cape Police Commissioner Sizakhele Dyantyi says firearms are still the weapon of choice in most murder-related cases in the province.

Dyantyi and the provincial police top brass have briefed the media in Cape Town.

610 illegal firearms have been recovered for the three-month period.

Dyantyi says 62 percent of the murders are in the Cape Town Metro.

“The weapon of choice remains the firearm for the commission of violence and violent crimes.

Our mission is to rid the community of illegal firearms and ammunition through a targeted approach, executing of covert and intelligent-driven operations is going to be the order of the day as we constantly target illegal firearms and ammunition.” #sapsWC [HAPPENING NOW: WESTERN CAPE RECORDS PROMISING REDUCTIONS IN SERIOUS CRIME] The Western Cape recorded encouraging reductions in a number of serious and violent crime categories during the first quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year.

The figures were released and… pic.twitter.com/TNHZgRGpau — SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) September 15, 2026