Countries with the Highest Criminality rate in Africa

South African crime scene experts work at the scene of the shooting of a union leader who was killed inside the National Union of Mineworkers offices by two unknown gunmen, in Marikana on June 3, 2013. The shootings at the Marikana mine near Rustenburg, northwest of Johannesburg, follow the assassination of a leader from the NUM’s rival union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), last month. AFP PHOTO / STRINGER

Factors such as poverty, limited educational access, and economic inequality contribute to a climate where some individuals resort to illicit activities for survival.

Certain African cities face significant challenges, marked by high crime rates linked to issues like drugs, kidnappings, and armed conflicts.

According to the latest update from Numbeo’s crime index, urban areas exhibit higher crime frequencies than rural or suburban areas.

The crime rate is calculated as the number of offences per capita per year, offering insights into the safety of a particular area. Numbeo categorizes crime levels as moderate (40-60), high (60-80), and very high (exceeding 80).

Understanding and addressing these socio-economic factors is crucial to fostering safer communities across the continent.

Rank City Country Crime Index Global rank

1. Pretoria – South Africa – 81.8 2nd

2. Durban – South Africa – 80.9 3rd

3. Johannesburg – South Africa – 80.7 4th

4. Port Elizabeth – South Africa – 77.0 8th

5. Cape Town – South Africa – 73.5 16th

6. Lagos – Nigeria – 68.0 27th

7. Windhoek – Namibia – 67.6 30th

8. Harare – Zimbabwe – 61.0 57th

9. Nairobi – Kenya – 59.1 67th

10. Casablanca – Morocco –  54.4 93rd

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