Only 31 percent of South Africans feel either "mostly safe" or "completely safe" in the country, the association said in its latest state of security report released Tuesday.

The association said they conducted the survey in March and April this year with 1,438 respondents to determine direct feedback on personal security in South Africa. About 76 percent of the respondents reported being a victim of a crime in South Africa, according to the findings.

About 88 percent of the respondents said they believe crime will increase in the future, with many spending money on personal security such as more burglar bars, alarm systems and security cameras at their homes, said Willem Groenewald, chief executive officer of the association.

Official data released Tuesday by the South African police authority showed that a total of 6,289 people were murdered in the country in the first quarter of 2023, a 3.4-percent increase from the level recorded in the same period last year.