KwaZulu-Natal has recorded a decrease in cases of murder and rape during the first quarter of 2026, compared to the same period last year.
This was confirmed by the KZN Acting Provincial Commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba on Friday (September 11), when she outlined the state of policing in the province.
She said although there is still more to be done, a 1.7% decrease in murder, and 1.3% for rape cases, was plausible. She attributed the success to bolstered police efforts, with the help of communities and private security. In addition, cases of robbery with aggravating circumstances, common robbery, and sexual offences, have alao seen a reduction.
Also read: Visible policing effort linked to sharp crime decline in Durban CBD
“Inanda police station recorded the biggest decrease this quarter with 15 less murders recorded, which translates to a murder decrease of 19.2%.
“Umlazi and Esikhaleni police stations also showed improvements, recording a decrease of six and five murder cases respectively,” Makoba shared.
She added, “However, the number of people who gets killed per quarter in this province is still too high. From April to June 2026, 1 179 people were killed.
Also read: KZN crime stats: A province in crisis
“We cannot normalise this and be happy that the crime of murder has gone down. Police can do as much, but without the active participation of community members in crime prevention endeavours, criminals will continue to terrorise our communities.”
Cato Manor remains a concern, as it has reportedly recorded 20 more murders cases during this time.
“We have instructed the management of the police station to arrest this situation before it gets out of hand,” Makoba said.
Also read: Murder remains high in KwaZulu-Natal
Other police stations with increased murder cases include Ntuzuma, Vryheid, Empangeni, and Plessislaer.
“Although we did not lose any police officer in the line of duty during the 2025/2026 financial year, we however lost 15 police officers off duty. In most cases off duty police officers are targeted because of police-related matters,” Makoba said.
With just over a month left before the Local Government Elections, Makoba said because the province is known to be politically-charged, police will be out in full force to create a safe environment for free campaigning.
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