Homes sell for R2.6 million in South Africa’s worst police precinct

In many of the country’s suburbs, safety comes at a premium.

But homes sell for more than the nation’s average in the country’s most dangerous police precinct.

Cape Town Central is that precinct, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The Most Dangerous Police Precinct

Cape Town Central takes the top spot in SAPS’ first-quarter crime statistics.

The precinct, which covers 13 suburbs, has a 43.46% crime rate.

Nearly as many crimes were reported (16 722) in 12 months as there are households (17 639) in the area.

Between April and June 2026, 4 380 crimes were reported in the police precinct.

Most of these were drug-related crimes.

Next are “all thefts not reported elsewhere,” a catch-all phrase to describe thefts not categorised within the broader crime stats.

These crimes are down year on year.

But drug-related crimes have soared.

Cape Town Central’s Quarterly Crime

Between April and June 2026, 2 559 serious crimes were reported in Cape Town Central, a 1.8% decline over the same period last year.

Police are being proactive in the area.

According to SAPS data, police activity detected 1 806 crimes, a 34.7% increase from the previous year.

But instead of crime impacting property prices, as conventional wisdom would dictate, real estate has only become more sought-after within the police precinct.

Property in Cape Town Central

The average sale price for property in Cape Town Central is R2.65 million as of September 2026.

In the precinct’s crime hub, arguably the City Centre, properties sell for R2.1 million.

Of the 13 suburbs within the police precinct, Gardens, the Foreshore, and the City Centre are taking a beating to their property prices.

In the remaining 10 suburbs, prices remain resilient.

In Bo-Kaap, for example, prices are up 96% since 2018.

Prices are also up in Tamboerskloof, Walmer Estate, Vredehoek, Oranjezicht, and De Waterkant.

Area	2018 Average	2026 Average
Bo-Kaap	R2 million	R3.92 million
De Waterkant	R3.94 million	R4.22 million
Higgovale	R16.3 million	R18 million
Oranjezicht	R3.14 million	R4.55 million
Tamboerskloof	R2.8 million	R7.7 million
University Estate	R3.13 million	R3.5 million
Vredehoek	R3.57 million	R3.75 million
Walmer Estate	R1.85 million	R3 million
Zonnebloem	R1.43 million	R1.45 million

This may be because crime in the area is largely isolated within the Central Business District (CBD).

Compare Cape Town Central to Milnerton, another police precinct in the city that covers nearly a dozen suburbs.

Milnerton reported 324 residential burglaries between April 2025 and March 2026.

Over the same period in Cape Town Central, there were only 206 residential burglaries.

Milnerton reported 68 robberies at residential premises.

Cape Town Central reported 5.

The Areas Affected By Crime

However, prices are down in three areas: the Foreshore, the City Centre, and Gardens.

The Foreshore and the City Centre could be considered epicentres for drug-related crime.

Gardens has also fallen victim to this epidemic, given crime hubs erected nearby.

Price declines highlight the link between crime and demand.

Rather than dragging down prices across the precinct, only the suburbs perceived as high-crime areas have been impacted.

Area	2018 Average	2026 Average	Difference
City Centre	R2.35 million	R2.1 million	-10.5%
Gardens	R3.4 million	R2.84 million	-16.4%
Foreshore	R5.1 million	R3.7 million	-27.4%