Countries › South Africa › January 2026
South Africa: conflict events in January 2026
Monthly report from UCDP event data.
4eventsnone the month before
12est. deaths
10civilian deaths
In January 2026, UCDP recorded 4 organized-violence events in South Africa, with 12 estimated deaths. The previous month had no recorded events.
75% of the month's events were non-state conflict. Civilian deaths: 10.
The most active pairing was Unidentified armed group - Unidentified armed group with 3 events.
Where events happened
Regions, January 2026
| Region | Events | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Western Cape province | 4 | 12 |
Deadliest events, January 2026
| Date | Where | Parties | Est. deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 2026 | City of Cape Town municipality Western Cape province | Unidentified armed group vs Civilians One-sided, 9 civilian, 4 sources | 9 |
| 26 Jan 2026 | City of Cape Town municipality Western Cape province | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state | 1 |
| 21 Jan 2026 | City of Cape Town municipality Western Cape province | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state, 1 civilian | 1 |
| 14 Jan 2026 | West Coast municipality Western Cape province | Unidentified armed group vs Unidentified armed group Non-state, 2 sources | 1 |
Parties
| Party | Events |
|---|---|
| Unidentified armed group | 7 |
Type of violence
| Category | Events |
|---|---|
| State-based | 0 |
| Non-state | 3 |
| One-sided | 1 |
All months
Monthly reports:Jul 2026Jun 2026May 2026Apr 2026Mar 2026Feb 2026Jan 2026Oct 2025Sep 2025Aug 2025Jun 2025Sep 2024
Source: UCDP GED and Candidate Events, CC BY 4.0. Counts use the "best" fatality estimate. See methodology.