Between October and December 2025, crime patterns across Centurion’s policing precincts reflected both policing successes and ongoing challenges. Some stations reported notable declines in key offences, and others experienced concerning increases.

This was revealed when Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia released the national crime statistics on February 20 in Pretoria.

The figures highlight shifting crime trends over the past five years across the SAPS precincts serving Lyttelton, Wierdabrug, Olievenhoutbosch, Erasmia, and Laudium.

Among the five stations, Olievenhoutbosch recorded some of the most volatile results, while Wierdabrug showed improvements in certain property crimes but saw an emergence of violent offences.

Olievenhoutbosch

The Olievenhoutbosch police station recorded a worrying increase in murder, with six additional cases from the previously reported 14, bringing the total to 20 for the quarter.

Assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm remained unchanged at 89 cases, while common assault declined slightly.

Sexual offences showed mixed movement, as rape cases dropped by seven cases, but sexual assault increased from three to four cases.

Encouragingly, robbery with aggravating circumstances declined by 8.9%, and residential robberies dropped sharply from 30 to 17 cases.

Drug-related offences and burglaries at non-residential premises also decreased.

However, theft-related crimes rose. Theft out of motor vehicles increased by 21.3% to 74 cases, and vehicle theft climbed by 10 additional cases.

Overall, other serious crimes rose by 5.8%, reinforcing concerns about persistent criminal activity.

Erasmia

In Erasmia, there was a 15.7% increase in contact crimes. Common assault more than doubled from nine to 21 cases, while assault with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm rose from eight to 14.

Vehicle theft increased slightly to nine cases.

Property-related crime declined from 52 to 42 incidents, and other serious crimes dropped significantly from 81 to 46, marking one of the quarter’s most notable improvements.

Lyttelton

The Lyttelton precinct recorded a decline in property-related crimes of 15.4%, driven largely by a sharp drop in vehicle thefts, which fell from 84 to 60 cases. Burglary at non-residential premises also declined.

However, contact crimes increased by 9%, and robbery with aggravating circumstances rose by 11 cases to 48. Sexual offences increased slightly, with rape rising from six to nine cases.

Police-detected crimes rose by 31%, including a sharp increase in arrests for driving under the influence, which climbed to 94 cases – an indication of intensified enforcement.

Laudium

Laudium saw property-related crime rise to 40 cases from 21, while other serious crimes increased from 36 to 48.

Contact-related crime also increased significantly, and robbery with aggravating circumstances rose to 20 cases from 15.

However, there were improvements in common assault and common robbery, both of which declined. Rape and sexual assault cases also dropped during the quarter.

Wierdabrug

Wierdabrug, traditionally a lower-violent crime precinct, recorded three murder cases after previously reporting none. Common robbery also increased.

Encouragingly, robbery with aggravating circumstances declined by 23.1%, and malicious damage to property dropped significantly.

Vehicle theft showed major improvement, decreasing from 100 to 66 cases, though theft out of motor vehicles increased by 11.4%.

High vs low crime pressures

Compared with Wierdabrug’s historically low-violent crime levels, Olievenhoutbosch continues to face higher violent crime pressures, particularly in murder and assault-related offences.

Meanwhile, Erasmia’s decline in overall serious crime contrasts with Laudium’s rising figures, shows the uneven crime dynamics across Centurion.

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