KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of cases followed by Gauteng.
Picture: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach
South Africa recorded 50 511 gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases in the 2025-26 financial year, but only 30 736 resulted in arrests and/or referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The figures were revealed in a written parliamentary reply to Gugulethu Mchunu, a member of the portfolio committee on women, youth and persons with disabilities.
Mchunu asked the acting minister of police for a provincial breakdown of reported cases, arrests and referrals for prosecution.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the most cases
Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) cases includes murder, attempted murder, rape, sexual assault, abduction, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, common assault, attempted rape and contact sexual offences.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of cases, with 9 412 reports. Gauteng followed with 8 933 cases, while the Western Cape recorded 7 951.
The Eastern Cape recorded 7 638 cases, followed by Limpopo with 4 211. The Free State recorded 3 430 cases, while North West and Mpumalanga reported 3 407 and 3 391 cases respectively.
The Northern Cape recorded the lowest number, with 2 138 cases. The figures come from cases reported to the South African Police Service (Saps) and do not necessarily represent the full extent of gender-based violence, as many incidents remain unreported said Cachalia.
Rape made up most reports
Rape accounted for 36 217 of the 50 511 reported cases. Sexual assault was the second-highest category, with 6 495 cases with murder cases as the lowest with 37.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the most rape cases, at 7 332, followed by Gauteng with 6 581 and the Eastern Cape with 6 074.
The most recent quarterly crime statistics (January 2026 – March 2026), recorded 9 782 reported rapes nationally in just three months.
30 736 cases led to further action
Police reported that 30 736 cases led to arrests or referral to the NPA for prosecution. This accounts for roughly 61% of all reported cases, with rape making up the vast majority at 21 195.
However, Cachalia’s response does not provide separate figures for arrests and referrals. It combines the two categories, making it impossible to determine how many cases led to arrests, how many were referred for prosecution, or how many went through both processes.
KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of cases that resulted in arrests and/or referrals, with 5 597. The Western Cape recorded 5 344, followed by Gauteng with 4 602 and the Eastern Cape with 4 338.
The Northern Cape recorded the lowest number of cases in this category, at 1 659.
The figures leave 19 775 reported cases that were not recorded as resulting in arrests and/or referrals to the NPA.
