Crime occurs all around the world, both in richer and poorer countries. It has to do with harming other people or vandalizing the properties of others, including common goods belonging to the society.
Crime activities range from threats and harassment, domestic violence, larceny (theft), illegal possession of firearms, involvement in illicit drugs, and cybercrime, to violent offences such as sexual assaults, murder, kidnappings, human trafficking, etc.
While discussing crime rates on the continent, what quickly springs to our minds is the profound impact of socio-economic differences.
South Africa has high crime rates due to issues like corruption, economic changes, and social challenges.
According to the list obtained from the data platform Numbeo, some cities in Africa are considered very dangerous as the crime rate is high due to the problems relating to drugs, kidnappings, and even armed conflicts.
Also, poverty, lack of access to education, and economic inequality create conditions where individuals resort to criminal activities as a means of survival.
Numbeo, in its updated crime index, crime rates in cities differ, with higher frequencies observed in densely populated regions compared to rural or suburban areas.
Per the index, the number of crimes committed in a certain area during a given period, often per capita per year, is measured as the crime rate in that area. It is sometimes indicated as the number of criminal offences or events per 100,000 persons.
Numbeo indicated that crime levels between 40 and 60 are moderate, those between 60 and 80 are classified as high, and crime levels exceeding 80 are deemed very high.
See list of 10 African cities with the highest crime rate at the beginning of 2024:
Rank City Country Crime Index Global rank
1 Pretoria South Africa 81.8 2nd
2 Durban South Africa 80.9 3rd
3 Johannesburg South Africa 80.7 4th
4 Port Elizabeth South Africa 77.0 8th
5 Cape Town South Africa 73.5 16th
6 Lagos Nigeria 68.0 27th
7 Windhoek Namibia 67.6 30th
8 Harare Zimbabwe 61.0 57th
9 Nairobi Kenya 59.1 67th
10 Casablanca Morocco 54.4 93rd
