Shifting crime trends in South Africa – are you prepared for the risks?

Shifting crime trends in South Africa – are you prepared for the risks?

The latest Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey has revealed that despite slightly improved perceptions of safety within South African communities, housebreaking and burglaries remain a key concern. In 2024/2025, an estimated 1.5 million incidents were recorded, representing 5.7% of households in the country. With housebreaking topping the list of non-contact crimes, it underscores the need for both households and businesses to ensure adequate insurance coverage against property-related theft and losses.

Expanding on this most recent report with year-on-year comparisons, Stats SA declared that the number of housebreaking incidents has decreased, albeit only slightly, from 2022/2023, when 1.56 million incidents took place.

Theft of personal property affected an estimated 1.2 million people (2.6% of those aged 16 and older), down from 1.3 million in 2023/24. Although this is an improvement, many residents continue to face the risk of crime, particularly in metro areas.

Another frequent type of property-related crime reported over a five-year period was the theft of motor vehicles. According to the survey, the percentage of households impacted by this form of crime also decreased slightly from 1.2% to 1.1%. However, with 216 000 cases having been recorded over the last year, motor vehicle crime remains a risk.

Insurance checklist

The slight downward trend in non-contact crimes should not lead to complacency, as incidents of housebreaking and theft of personal property and motor vehicles remain significant risks that require constant vigilance and preventive measures. Not only is this necessary from a personal and property safety point of view, it’s also important in terms of their implications for insurance and ongoing cover.

The first way clients can protect their property and belongings is by (at least) annually reviewing their insurance policies. It’s also important to know whether there are any limits on cover for events such as burglaries or theft, as well as any exclusions that may apply.

Clients should also ensure that high-value items such as personal electronics, jewellery and artwork are correctly covered. These can either be included in the overall household goods sum insured or specified individually under the relevant sections of the policy, or separate cover can be taken out for expensive collections.

Reducing crime exposure

In addition to having – and maintaining – adequate insurance cover, clients should be proactive when it comes to protecting their belongings. Besides installing the right kind of security systems, it’s useful for homeowners to engage with local neighbourhood watch programmes – either volunteering directly or becoming an active participant in alert groups to foster a culture of vigilance among neighbours.

For commercial property owners, security measures should be aligned to the value and type of stock being stored. Depending on the nature of the goods, requirements may range from linked alarm systems to 24-hour security guards. This is where the guidance of an insurance adviser is critical, as they can help ensure that the level of protection in place matches the risk exposure.

Theft cover for businesses is on a first-loss basis, which requires determining an appropriate value in line with the potential exposure. While systems and protocols are important, employees also need to be trained on security procedures and made aware of risks, as human error often remains a significant vulnerability.

The security of motor vehicles needs to align with insurers’ minimum recommendations, which may include installing tracking devices and using alarm systems. Other simple safety measures car owners can take include parking strategically, in well-lit, busy areas and secure locations to reduce the likelihood of theft or vandalism.

Likewise, to mitigate the risk of theft of personal belongings, it’s important to adopt a multi-layered approach that combines vigilance, organisation and precautionary measures. For example, valuables should be kept out of plain sight, whether at home, in the office or in a vehicle. By taking these proactive steps, individuals can significantly reduce the likelihood of significant losses in the event of an incident.