Everyone has a theory about crime in their neighbourhood. But what does the data actually tell us?
Lizette Lancaster, head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, unpacks South Africa’s crime statistics — from murder to housebreaking — and what the numbers reveal about violence, safety and the challenges facing communities.
On 11 September 2026, Daily Maverick hosted the sixth edition of The Gathering at the CTICC in Cape Town. Under the theme Going for Broke: Cities Edition, the day brought together journalists, public officials, researchers, political figures, business leaders and civic actors to examine the state of South Africa’s cities ahead of the 2026 local government elections — what is failing, what is working and what it will take to make local government deliver.
The Gathering 2026 was held in partnership with Ninety One.
