Public safety crisis: 69% of South Africans grapple with fear of crime

The Automobile Association (AA) responded to the quarterly crime stats, sharing a bleak outlook of South Africans’ perception of safety.

AA researchers surveyed 1 438 respondents during March and April this year to gauge perception of personal safety in a country riddled with violence.

AA’s State of Security report

Unveiling the bleak reality of citizens’ perceptions of safety, the AA’s 2023 Q4 State of Security report raises serious concerns.

Only 31% feel safe

They found that only a mere 31% of South Africans report feeling ‘mostly safe’ or ‘completely safe’ within the borders SA.

And not surprisingly the picture only gets bleaker.

Approximately 37% of the population feel ‘barely safe’ (22%) or ‘not safe at all’ (15%).

Meanwhile, 32% said they felt somewhat secure, while the general sentiment indicates a concerning trend of unease and apprehension.

Disturbingly, three out of every four respondents admitted to having fallen victim to crime.

Crime hotspots stoking fear

As per the survey, most South Africans (about 45%) cited outdoor public spaces where they feel most at risk, followed by 25% who feared their daily commutes.

Meanwhile, 30% felt safe at their own homes, while 20% felt ‘very safe’, and 14% said they felt ‘extremely safe’.

Unfortunately, a shocking 36% of those surveyed reported feeling ‘somewhat safe’, while 29% said they felt ‘not safe at all’ at home.

On Tuesday, Police Minister Bheki Cele released the fourth quarter crime stats for January to March 2023, which shows an increase of 4% in violence crimes.

While murders increased by 3.4%, attempted murders increased by 8.4%, and common assault cases increased by 7.6%.

The leading factors seems to be arguments, misunderstandings, road rage and provocation.

READ: South Africa’s crime stats reveal a troubling trend in rising violence

Trust dwindles

Willem Groenewald, CEO of the AA, said their survey is more than just a reflection of the harsh realities that many South Africans grapple with.

It shows that South Africa “is a dangerous place, and… our law enforcement agencies are failing to effectively deal with the problem.

He said this is why a staggering 81% of South Africans place more trust in private security than in the South African Police Service (Saps).

“People desperately want to feel safe, but many don’t feel comfortable carrying weapons, which is also not a solution for children.”