WHAT’S UP IN THE CAPE? Crime rates in Western and Northern Cape provinces

Abstract

According to the official crime statistics, the Western Cape has emerged as the country’s most crime-ridden province, and the Northern Cape as the most violent. This is confusing for criminologists who link crime to poverty, because these are two of the best developed provinces in the country, with the highest employment levels. Explaining crime in these provinces requires further research on the people and conditions in the area.