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Four SA cities listed among world’s 50 most violent places – report
Four of South Africa's cities have been identified in a Mexican report on the world's highest number of murders.
Members of the South African Police Services (Saps) at the parade inspection by the Minister of Police on 7 April 2021 in Cape Town. Photo: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach
The Mexican Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice has identified four South African cities among the 50 most violent cities in the world.
According to that report, Cape Town is ranked as the 11th most violent city, followed by Gqeberha at 23, Durban in 35th place and Johannesburg ranking in at 48th.
The rankings are based on the number of murders per 100,000 people in the cities.
Murder in South Africa
Cape Town has the highest number of murders in South Africa overall, with 2,911 murders recorded for the period, giving a murder rate of 62.22 people murdered per 100,000.
The city’s murder rate is heavily weighted towards gang-related violence.
At number 23 is Gqeberha (Nelson Mandela Bay). In 2020 Gqeberha held a slightly better ranking, despite its murder rate going up – a trend which continued in 2021.
Gqeberha’s murder rate increased to 52.3 per 100,000 people but moved down one position on the overall rankings.
Durban, which ranked 31st last year, now ranks 35th – marking another improvement in the rankings, with its murder rate dropping to 39.98 per 100,000 people.
Johannesburg recorded 1,853 murders (from 2,182 murders in 2020) giving it a murder rate of 30.8 per 100,000 people, and ranking 48th, overall.
The world’s most dangerous cities
The report lists the 50 most violent cities by the number of murders per 100,000 people, and only considers cities with populations exceeding 300,000, according to a Business Tech report.
The top 10 most violent cities are dominated by Mexican cities, from the first through to eighth position being within the region.
South Africa, Jamaica and the US are the only other main regional outliers.
Zamora in Mexico is ranked as the most violent city in the world, with over 196 murders per 100,000 people.
The US city of St Louis and Jamaica’s capital, Kingston, is the only non-Mexican city featured in the top 10.
Tijuana is the only other city to rack up over 2,000 murders, with the Mexican Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice recording 2,124 violent deaths over the period, giving it a murder rate of 103 people per 100,000 – fourth, overall.
Compiled by Narissa Subramoney
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