60 murders a day: What’s behind South Africa’s wave of violence?

At the end of September, a bloody scene occurred on the outskirts of Cape Town: robbers ransacked a small shop and before leaving, shot and killed the shop owner who was hiding behind the counter at close range. Elsewhere in South Africa, similar incidents are the latest to hit the news. Many local people are worried whether this is the beginning of another wave of violence in the country.

Lizette Lancaster, an expert at the South African Institute for Security Studies, told DW that it is not without reason that people feel unsafe to live in this country today.

Lancaster said that in many poor urban areas, residents hear gunshots from time to time, especially on weekends, especially in areas with high levels of gang crime.

According to the latest official figures, South Africa's murder rate has actually dropped by 5.9%, but about 60 people are still murdered on average every day. Comprehensive analysis shows South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world: the World Bank ranks South Africa as the seventh-highest, based on data from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Political scientists have pointed out that the ongoing shooting incidents are also related to xenophobic violence in South Africa. Some xenophobic groups have repeatedly called for action against foreigners, especially immigrants from other African countries. They are used as scapegoats for South Africa's social problems, whether it is high unemployment, high crime rates or strained public services.

According to media reports, at least 350 foreigners have been killed due to xenophobic violence in the past 20 years. This year alone, 11 foreigners have died as a result of targeted attacks.

At the same time, violence against women is also very serious. In the first quarter of 2026, the police recorded a total of 50,511 cases of violence and murder against women.

The female murder rate in South Africa is estimated at 9 per 100,000 women. This is about five times higher than the worldwide average.

Expert Lancaster also pointed out that trust in the judiciary and the police has seriously declined over the years. Although South Africa has a large number of police officers based on the population, only 22% of the public have trust in the police, according to a Human Sciences Research Council survey.

Lancaster said that some news reported by the media showed that the judiciary was infiltrated by criminal networks, which greatly eroded people's trust. Over the past decade, widespread corruption has eroded the police's ability to enforce the law.

Analysts believe that violence in South Africa has deep historical roots. During apartheid, blacks and other non-white groups were driven from their homes to remote, undeveloped areas. These areas have been plagued by gang violence for years. For young men, joining a gang seems to give them a sense of identity, and many find it difficult to make a living.

Youth unemployment in South Africa is quite high. According to the country’s statistics department, nearly half of South Africans under the age of 34 are unemployed. This leads to severe frustration and dissatisfaction.

However, expert Lancaster called on every South African to shoulder his or her share of responsibility, and the political world is particularly responsible.