South Africa is experiencing increasing levels of insecurity and a lack of trust in the police. The country recorded 45 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022 and 2023, placing it among the most violent nations in the world.

“A church is attacked, worshipers are injured and kidnapped' is already a common headline in South Africa, with dozens of incidents reported and dozens more unreported,” clergyman Jaibhesi Dota says. One reason criminals see churches and mosques as an easy target is the lack of security, analyst Yasin Kakande says.