Western Cape crime stats briefing: Provincial police and safety officials outline latest crime trends during a media briefing in Cape Town. More than one in every four murders recorded in the Western Cape during the latest crime-reporting period was linked to gang initiation or gang-related violence, highlighting the continued grip of organised gangs on violent crime in the province. According to South African Police Service crime statistics for July to September 2025, 293 murders, 25.3% of the 1 156 killings recorded during the quarter were linked to gang initiation or gang-related violence, making it the single largest identified cause of murder during the period.
Killings linked to arguments, misunderstandings or fights accounted for 231 murders (20.0%), while retaliation or revenge attacks were responsible for 153 murders (13.2%). Extortion-related murders, though lower in number, accounted for 25 killings, or 2.2%, during the same period. The burden of gang-related killings remains heavily concentrated in the City of Cape Town.
Of the 293 gang-related murders recorded across the Western Cape, 286 occurred in the metro, underscoring the persistent challenges faced by law enforcement and communities in gang-affected areas. The pattern extends beyond fatal incidents. Police data shows that 302 attempted murders — 26.4% of all attempted murder cases recorded during the quarter were linked to gang initiation or gang-related violence, reinforcing the role of gangs in driving serious violent crime.
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In total, the Western Cape recorded 1 160 murders between July and September 2025, an increase of 97 cases, or 9.1%, compared with the same period the previous year. Firearms remained the most frequently used weapons, accounting for 60.6% of all murder cases, while most killings occurred in public places such as streets, open fields and parking areas.
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