Every year, thousands of South Africans flock to their favourite small coastal towns for much-needed family time.
They want to relax and enjoy the slower pace.
But crime is rocking many of these peaceful escapes.
Rising crime could ruin these seaside escapes
There isn’t a part of South Africa’s 2 800 kilometres of coast where rising crime hasn’t penetrated.
Small towns along the West Coast, South Coast, Wild Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Overberg have all recorded a rise in crime.
The data reflects a worrying trend based on first-quarter statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The West Coast
In the first quarter, crime is up 8.2% in Saldanha and 15% in Langebaan. While Saldanha still reports more crime than Langebaan, Langebaan has been increasing over time, while in Saldanha it’s trending downward.
Drug-related crimes in both towns feature in the top 5 most recorded crimes in the police precincts.
The Overberg
Of the 15 police precincts on the Overberg, 10 have reported worse crime statistics in the first quarter of this year than in the first quarter of last year.
The worst-offending coastal town is Kleinmond.
In the first quarter of this year, crime is up 22.1%.
In Hermanus, crime is stabilising after it peaked last year. Hermanus and Kleinmond share similar issues.
In both towns, drug-related crime is the most recorded, followed by commercial crime, theft, and residential burglary.
The South Coast
Along the South Coast, Port Shepstone and Port Edward are the only police precincts reporting a rise in crime in the first quarter.
Port Shepstone reported a 10.1% increase in crime. In Port Edward, crime is up 6.3%.
However, both towns are down from their peaks.
In Margate, however, crime is trending downward in the first quarter. But crime overall has been rising in the town.
The Sunshine Coast
On the Sunshine Coast, Jeffrey’s Bay has had the worst first quarter for crime. Crime in the area rose 64.1% in the first quarter.
Crime in St Francis Bay is up 13.7%, and in Port Alfred it’s up 10%.
Kenton-on-Sea saw the lowest increase at only 3.3%.
The Wild Coast
Last year in Port St Johns, crime declined slightly from its 2024 peak. Crime is up 21.3% in the first quarter of this year. If this continues, crime in the town could break its 2024 records.