Payday weekends: Assault figures expose a grim reality in SA
In South Africa, payday weekends are increasingly characterised by a spike in assaults, reckless behaviour, and growing crime.
Violence spiked in Cape Town over the recent payday weekend, with assault reports nearly doubling from the previous week.
The latest figures from the City of Cape Town highlight a trend that plays out across the country – criminal activity increases at month end.
A rise in domestic violence
The City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre (PECC) logged 140 assault calls between Friday and Sunday, up from 78 the previous weekend.
These included 41 physical assaults and 98 incidents involving weapons. Domestic violence also spiked, rising from 36 to 53 reported cases.
Road accidents reflected the same chaos, with PECC recording 66 motor vehicle and pedestrian incidents compared to 45 the week before.
‘Payday weekends are our busiest’
According to City officials, the first and last weekends of the month are consistently the most violent.
“Our enforcement departments brace themselves for payday weekends as it inevitably means an increase in violence and recklessness,” said Mayco Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
Smith warned that illicit firearms remain a major concern. This past weekend alone, six guns were confiscated and 12 men were arrested in connection with illegal firearms.
“While I am glad for the weapons we’re taking off the streets, I am aware that there are many more still in the hands of criminals,” Smith added.
“The City is doing as much as it can with limited resources and we need national government to come to the party so we can stop the flood of guns being used to terrorise our neighbourhoods.”
A heavy enforcement week
Beyond the weekend statistics, law enforcement remained active across Cape Town:
- Law Enforcement: 166 arrests, 4 992 notices issued.
- Metro Police: 53 arrests, 2 795 fines issued.
- Traffic Services: 22 arrests (13 for drunk driving), 32 525 traffic offences recorded, 198 taxis impounded, 1 549 warrants executed.
Overall, the PECC logged 1 641 incidents for the week.
The City says it will continue ramping up patrols, roadblocks, and checkpoints to curb payday-related crime spikes, but it warns that addressing the surge of illegal firearms needs urgent national intervention.