Who is killing South African men? A retrospective descriptive study of forensic and police investigations into male homicide

This national study examines who is killing men in South Africa, using linked forensic and police data, and finds that most male homicides are perpetrated by men known to the victim, particularly acquaintances, rather than strangers. Sharp-force injuries are the most common cause of death, with firearms playing a larger role in killings by strangers, and homicides are heavily concentrated in urban informal areas, among unemployed men, and around weekends and festive periods, strongly implicating alcohol use. While a small share of men are killed by female perpetrators—most often intimate partners—male-on-male violence overwhelmingly drives South Africa’s exceptionally high homicide rate. The authors argue that prevention efforts must address alcohol availability, firearm access, structural inequality, and harmful masculinities, while also recognizing men as victims of violence rather than assuming invulnerability.