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Highlighting the key points, Dhlamini said incidents of being threatened with a weapon rose from 57% in 2023 to 62% in 2024, while incidents of being physically attacked and injured increased from 51% in 2023 to 53% in 2024.
“Eighty-two percent of respondents reported feeling unsafe in their community. Concerningly, 36% of respondents claimed to never feel safe in 2024 — double those in 2020 (18%),” she said.
There was an alarming jump in reported kidnappings and abductions, from 11% in 2023 to 16% in 2024, with a higher prevalence in the Western Cape.
On a positive note, the survey found reports of verbal abuse, threats of violence and the destruction of property declined.
“The survey also saw a 2% decrease from 2023 in the impact of violence on respondents’ physical or mental ability to do their jobs effectively, as well as a 6% decrease in the effects of violence on general psychological distress.”
According to Dhlamini, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive issue, with 46% of respondents reported to have experienced GBV in 2024. She said the prevalence of GBV is significantly higher among women, with 53% of female respondents affected compared with 38% of men.
“Tackling GBV requires a strategic, targeted intervention involving multiple stakeholders across society. However, this is especially urgent in the workplace, where only 54% of women feel their employer offers them sufficient support.”
Richardson said the ripple effects of violence continued to constrain corporate SA. Almost half the corporate respondents (46%) reported community violence was a major contributing factor to employee absenteeism.
“Sixty-seven percent of corporates said absenteeism hampered business productivity while 25% of corporates said absenteeism hampered employee career growth,” she said.
She noted a 10% decline in the number of corporates taking steps to assist employees living in violent areas (from 72% in 2023 to 62% in 2024). She caveats this by saying while businesses might claim to be doing less, many maintain consistent initiatives focused on staff transport, accommodation and counselling — with a notable increase in psychological and emotional support.
TimesLIVE
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