Pretoria Named Second Most Crime-Ridden City Globally in Latest Numbeo Rankings

South Africa's capital, Pretoria, has been ranked as the second most crime-ridden city globally, trailing only behind Caracas in Venezuela, as per the latest international rankings by Numbeo. This revelation places South Africa in a unique and dubious position, being the only country to have five of its cities listed among the top 20 in Numbeo's crime index. Alongside Pretoria, the coastal city of Durban secured the third spot, with Johannesburg, the economic hub, not far behind in fourth. Port Elizabeth and Cape Town were also featured, taking eighth and eighteenth places respectively.

The findings from Numbeo align closely with the crime statistics periodically released by South Africa's Police Minister, Bheki Cele. In a recent update for the last quarter of 2023, Cele reported approximately 7,700 murders. The statistics also shed light on gender-based violence, which has reached levels described as "alarming" by activists. According to Cele, arguments and misunderstandings are leading causes of these murders, alongside vigilantism and mob justice attacks. The minister also pointed out the significant impact of illegal mining and extortionist crimes across various industries in South Africa.

One of the more disturbing trends highlighted was the rise in kidnappings for ransom, now considered a lucrative venture for organised crime within the country. The South African Police Services (SAPS) has been actively working to curb this trend, resulting in the arrest of over 300 suspects linked to such kidnappings in the past two years.

Numbeo's Crime Index is compiled based on several factors including general perceptions of crime levels, safety concerns from residents and visitors, and specific worries. Professor Kholofelo Rakubu, a leading criminologist speaking to The Star daily, emphasized that violent crime in South Africa cannot be attributed to a single factor. He noted that firearm-related crimes have been a longstanding issue within South African society, with the easy availability of firearms playing a central role in the escalation of violent crimes.

In contrast to South Africa's alarming rankings, eleven Indian cities were also mentioned in Numbeo's list but positioned much lower. Delhi was ranked at 70th, followed by Noida at 87th and Gurgaon at 95th. Other Indian cities featured include Bangalore at 102nd, Indore at 136th, Kolkata at 159th, Mumbai at 169th, Hyderabad at 174th, Chandigarh at 177th, and Pune at 184th.

The inclusion of multiple cities from both South Africa and India in Numbeo's Crime Index highlights varying degrees of safety concerns across different regions. While South Africa grapples with high levels of violent crimes and security issues, India's cities also face challenges that place them on this global index. The data underscores the importance of addressing crime and ensuring public safety as central aspects of governance and societal well-being.