Statistics South Africa’s latest Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey found that 46.6% of people had done something to protect themselves against crime in 2025/26, up from 43.3% a year earlier.
Nearly half of South Africans are changing how they live to protect themselves against crime, with many restricting when they walk outside and others installing additional security at their homes.
Statistics South Africa’s latest Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey found that 46.6% of people had done something to protect themselves against crime in 2025/26, up from 43.3% a year earlier.
The most common measure was only walking during safer hours, cited by 31.5% of those who had taken precautions, followed by 29.9% who installed physical security measures such as burglar doors.
The precautions come as South Africans remain far less comfortable walking through their neighbourhoods after dark than during the day. "The precautions people are taking are not without reason," said the agency.
