Is Diep River Safe? 46/100 Safety Index (2026)

Diep River scores 46 out of 100 on StreetSignal’s safety index - Moderate reported crime. Its annualised crime count is 1,728, spread across a station population of 32,445 residents. The crime trend is declining.

For a suburb with a R2.5M median property valuation in the Southern Suburbs, these are numbers worth understanding in detail.

A note on methodology: StreetSignal’s safety index is a relative measure comparing reported crime across Cape Town’s 744 suburbs; it is not an absolute safety guarantee. The index is a composite of two sub-dimensions: harm-per-resident (rate) and absolute harm volume. A score of 46/100 reflects the geometric mean of both. Full methodology is documented on the StreetSignal methodology page.

Why does Diep River score 46 out of 100?

SAPS publishes crime statistics at police precinct level, not suburb level. The Dieprivier precinct serves approximately 32,445 residents and covers Diep River along with neighbouring suburbs including Bergvliet, Meadowridge, and Elfindale. StreetSignal’s crosswalk assigns 99.2% of Diep River to this precinct.

The composite score of 46/100 sits in the Moderate reported crime band, reflecting both per-capita crime pressure and absolute harm volume.

Critically, the trend is Down. Total reported crime fell between Q4 2024/2025 (January–March 2025) and Q4 2025/2026 (January–March 2026). When both the score and the trend point in the same direction, the signal is stronger.

How does Diep River compare to its neighbours?

Diep River, Plumstead, Meadowridge, and Constantia all share the Dieprivier precinct, though disaggregation now produces suburb-specific scores. Constantia leads at 99+/100, Diep River at 46/100, Meadowridge at 44/100, and Plumstead at 32/100. Bergvliet falls under the Kirstenhof precinct (score 33/100, 1,352 annualised crimes, Down trend).

Served by the Steenberg precinct, Elfindale scores 62/100, placing it in the moderate reported crime range.

What types of crime occur in the Dieprivier precinct?

The crime profile is dominated by property offences. In Q4 2025/2026 (January–March 2026):

• Commercial crime: 97 (up from 94)
• All theft not mentioned elsewhere: 91 (down from 113)
• Theft from motor vehicles: 54 (down from 71)
• Drug-related crime: 38 (up from 14)
• Residential burglary: 21 (down from 54 - more than halved)

Contact crime is present but at manageable levels:

• Aggravated robbery: 22 (up from 17)
• Common assault: 13 (down from 44 - a significant improvement)
• Common robbery: 7 (down from 20)
• Assault GBH: 11 (up from 5)
• Murder: 1 (up from 0)

The precinct recorded 1 murder in Q4 2025/2026 (January–March 2026), up from 0 in Q4 2024/2025. Residential burglary dropped from 54 to 21, and common robbery dropped from 20 to 7. These are meaningful improvements in the categories most relevant to residents.

What does property cost in Diep River?

Diep River’s median municipal valuation is R2,515,000, placing it in the 68th percentile of Cape Town property values. The suburb has 1,146 residential properties with a CAGR of 3.69% between the 2018 and 2022 general valuations.

The value tier is Upper Mid-Market. Median land extent is 451 sqm, median building area is 169 sqm. 72.8% of properties are valued above R1M.

For context: Bergvliet next door has a R3.9M median and Constantia sits at R7.5M. Meadowridge at R2.3M and Plumstead at R2.4M are the closest comparables on price. All share the same precinct, though disaggregation now produces different safety indices.

Are there schools in Diep River?

Diep River has four schools:

• Westcott Primary School (public, Quintile 5, 538 learners)
• Glenbridge Special School (public, 296 learners)
• The Academy For Learning (independent, 36 learners)
• Oakley House School (independent special, 211 learners)

There are no secondary schools within the suburb. For secondary education, families typically look to neighbouring suburbs. Plumstead and the wider Southern Suburbs corridor offer extensive secondary options including Westerford, Wynberg Boys’, and Wynberg Girls’.

For a full analysis of school outcomes across Cape Town, see Cape Town schools and education 2026.

What about healthcare and services?

Diep River has strong healthcare access. The Diep River Clinic is 0.1 km from the suburb centre, and Mediclinic Constantiaberg is just 1.0 km away. There are 11 healthcare facilities within 5 km.

Service delivery is solid: the suburb scores 99+/100 on the service delivery index (88th percentile). The median resolution time for C3 service requests is 2 days. Top issues reported are power-related (no power, street lights, suspect tampering), which are infrastructure complaints common across the Southern Suburbs.

Household conditions from the 2024 CCT survey show 100% access to piped water, flush toilets, electricity, and refuse removal. Home fibre internet reaches 88.5% of households. Food insecurity is effectively zero.

Is Diep River safe for families?

The data points in the same direction. A safety index of 46/100 with a declining crime trend, 1 murder in the most recent quarter, residential burglary more than halved year-on-year (54 to 21), a nearest clinic 100 metres away, and household conditions that rank among the strongest in the metro.

The trade-off is school choice within the suburb itself - four schools, none secondary. But the Southern Suburbs corridor compensates. Transport is car-dependent (87% private vehicle), which is typical for this part of Cape Town.

For the complete picture, see Diep River’s full neighbourhood profile on StreetSignal. The methodology behind every score is documented on the methodology page.

For how Diep River fits into the broader safety picture, see the safest suburbs in Cape Town 2026. For property value context, see Cape Town property values 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is Diep River dangerous?

Diep River scores 46/100 on StreetSignal’s safety index - Moderate reported crime, A score of 46/100 is a relative index comparing Diep River to other Cape Town suburbs. It is not an absolute safety measure. The precinct recorded 1 murder in Q4 2025/2026 (January–March 2026) and the overall crime trend is declining. Crime is predominantly property-related.

How does Diep River compare to Constantia for safety?

They share the same police precinct (Dieprivier) with 1,728 annualised crimes, but disaggregation produces different scores: Diep River scores 46/100 while Constantia scores 99+/100. The price difference is also significant: Diep River’s median is R2.5M versus Constantia’s R7.5M.

What is the average property price in Diep River?

Diep River’s median municipal valuation is R2,515,000 (68th percentile). CAGR of 3.69% between 2018 and 2022 valuations. These are municipal valuations, not market prices.

Are there good schools near Diep River?

Diep River has four schools (two public, two independent) but no secondary schools within the suburb. The Southern Suburbs corridor provides extensive secondary options within a short commute, including schools in Plumstead, Wynberg, and Constantia.