Skip to main content
Neighbourhoods › KwaZulu-Natal › Brackenham
59
/ 100

Brackenham

Moderate

Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal

Residential
Watch PDF Report card Map Compare Report
Mixed fit Based on 7 scored dimensions
Best reasons
94
Affordability
81
Schools — 14 schools within range
79
Safety — 4,622 reported incidents in the latest period
Trade-offs
14
Amenities — 6 amenities mapped nearby
18
Transport
Is Brackenham right for you?

Brackenham stands out for low crime and affordable homes, with the trade-off of limited public transport and fewer shops and services.

What is good here

  • Crime is lower than in most areas.
  • Homes cost less than in most areas, compared with local incomes.
  • There are more schools within reach than in most areas.

Things to weigh up

  • Public transport is limited, so you will probably need a car.
  • Shops and everyday services are thin on the ground.
  • It is quiet, with little to do nearby.

Who it suits

  • Families with children Could work

    Low crime and schools nearby, but fewer shops and services.

  • Young professionals and renters Less suited

    Limited public transport, fewer shops and services and little to do nearby.

  • Retirees and a quieter life Could work

    Low crime, but fewer shops and services.

  • Living without a car Less suited

    Limited public transport and fewer shops and services.

  • Buying on a budget Suits well

    Affordable homes.

Compared with nearby areas

In Richards Bay In South Africa
Safety Among the best Better than most
Affordability Better than most Among the best
Schools Better than most Better than most
Transport Below most Among the lowest
Amenities Below most Below most
Lifestyle Below most Below most
Property Confidence About average About average
What's happening
Local & city news, notices and alerts
WEATHER TODAY: Upington 40°C and Kimberley 39°C as the heat wave holds South African
Weather for Wednesday: Mahikeng, Rustenburg, Klerksdorp and Kroonstad reach 36°C, while Cape Town stays cloudy and mild at 24°C and Durban settles at 27°C.
1 day ago Read article
The race for the 26/27 Golden Boot race Kickoff
With the club now football now on a break as international football takes centre-stage, here's a look at the top six players in the race for the 2026/27 Golden Boot race.
1 day ago Read article
Ouaddou faced with fresh Carling accomplishment at Pirates Kickoff
Abdeslam Ouaddou has come within two games of completing a run that will have his name added to the Carling Knockout Cup history books.
2 days ago Read article
WEATHER TODAY: Upington swelters at 39°C, Bloemfontein and Kroonstad 35°C South African
Weather for Tuesday: Paarl reaches 34°C while Cape Town stays at 28°C and George a mild 23°C under high cloud. No rain is expected anywhere in the country.
2 days ago Read article
PSL coach declares availability after recent axing Kickoff
Phuti Mohafe is actively seeking a return to the dugout and has made it clear that he is more tha...
2 days ago Read article
Data confidence
High coverage
86

Coverage confidence reflects geographic matching, source authority, freshness, record coverage, and demographic alignment. It is not a liveability score.

geography
25 pts
source authority
20 pts
freshness
20 pts
record coverage
16 pts
demographic alignment
5 pts
Verified schools
5 inside · 9 nearby
Official school register
School · verified 2026-09-22
Source
Score dashboard
SAPS 2022-2023 · OSM Nov 2026 · modelled
79
Safety
Good
2022-2023
94
Affordability
Excellent
modelled
81
Schools
Good
2020
18
Transport
Weak
Nov 2026
14
Amenities
Weak
Nov 2026
20
Lifestyle
Weak
Nov 2026
68
Property Confidence
About average
RPPI 2010-2023
What these scores mean for Brackenham

Each score is out of 100. Higher is better for you: a high affordability score means cheaper relative to local incomes, and a high safety score means less crime. Comparisons are with other areas in the same country.

Safety: 79/100 · Good
Scores 79 out of 100, which is good and better than 68% of areas in South Africa. In practice, reported crime is low for its size. What it measures: How safe the area is, from reported crime adjusted for population, with burglary and robbery counting most. How it is worked out: Severity-weighted reported crime per 1,000 residents vs the urban benchmark. Burglary and robbery are weighted heavily. This is based on reasonable data, but not the most recent or most local. Source: SAPS crime statistics (SAPACR 2008–2023) (2022-2023).
Affordability: 94/100 · Excellent
Scores 94 out of 100, which is excellent and better than 63% of areas in South Africa. In practice, rent takes a reasonable share of local incomes. What it measures: How average rent compares with what households here typically earn. How it is worked out: Average rent as a share of median monthly income. This is based on reasonable data, but not the most recent or most local. Source: Stats SA income & rental index (modelled).
Schools: 81/100 · Good
Scores 81 out of 100, which is good and better than 70% of areas in South Africa. In practice, there is a good choice of schools nearby. What it measures: How many primary and secondary schools are within reach. How it is worked out: Real schools within range by phase (primary/secondary/pre-primary), weighted toward secondary. This is based on reasonable data, but not the most recent or most local. Source: DBE National Masterlist of Schools (2020) (2020).
Transport: 18/100 · Weak
Scores 18 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 99% of areas in South Africa. In practice, you will probably need a car for most trips. What it measures: Access to public transport stops, stations and main roads. How it is worked out: Density of public-transport stops and stations. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: OpenStreetMap transport nodes (Nov 2026).
Amenities: 14/100 · Weak
Scores 14 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 76% of areas in South Africa. In practice, you may need to travel for everyday shopping and services. What it measures: Everyday places nearby, such as shops, pharmacies, clinics and banks. How it is worked out: Daily-convenience density: shops, food, healthcare, community. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: OpenStreetMap & Google Places (Nov 2026).
Lifestyle: 20/100 · Weak
Scores 20 out of 100, which is weak and lower than 73% of areas in South Africa. In practice, it is a quieter area with fewer places to go out. What it measures: Places to eat, relax and spend free time, such as restaurants, parks and gyms. How it is worked out: Parks, food culture, and community sentiment once reviews accrue. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: OSM green space + resident sentiment (Nov 2026).
Property Confidence: 68/100 · About average
Scores 68 out of 100, which is about average and lower than 52% of areas in South Africa. What it measures: How much reliable property data we have and how stable prices look. How it is worked out: Directional year-on-year price movement — not a valuation. This is based on strong, recent official data. Source: Stats SA Residential Property Price Index (RPPI 2010-2023).
Full scoring method
Flood & earthquake history
🌊 Flood: None on record
🌍 Earthquake: None on record
See details

Municipal service delivery

Real Stats SA General Household Survey (GHS 2022) — based on 3,124 households surveyed. for the wider municipality/province this suburb sits in.

Flush toilet access
44%
Pit/bucket toilet (backlog)
52%
Has electricity
98%
Regular refuse removal
41%
Water interruptions (past yr)
78%
Less happy than last year
42%
What residents are complaining about

% of households reporting each problem as present in their area.

Illegal rubbish dumping 21%
Littering 29%
Water pollution 20%
Air pollution 12%
Land degradation 25%
Noise pollution 9%

Source: Stats SA GHS 2022.

Households (Census 2022)

Real Stats SA Census 2022 — full count, based on 8,208 households. for the wider municipality/province this suburb sits in.

Piped water inside dwelling
53%
Flush toilet
57%
Bucket toilet (backlog)
0%
Electricity for lighting
99%
Regular refuse removal
50%
Home internet access
10%
No internet access
12%
Owns a motor car
35%
Food security

% of households reporting hunger at least sometimes in the past year.

Adult hunger 25%
Child hunger 23%

Source: Stats SA Census 2022.

Sign in to report your rent, utility reliability, or fibre availability here.

Local services in Brackenham

Tips from residents

No tips yet. If you live in Brackenham, share something you wish you had known when you moved in.

Tips are residents' own experience, checked by our team for language and personal details, not verified facts.

Sign in to share a tip.

Visiting Brackenham

No attractions near here have been checked and published yet.

Load-shedding
No load-shedding
National status
✓ No load-shedding
Area-specific schedule not available for this suburb yet.
National status shown above. We're working on matching all suburbs.
Data via EskomSePush · Updates every 15 minutes
Review Brackenham
Help others understand what life here is really like
Step 1 of 3
How do you rate
Brackenham?
Your overall impression of living in this suburb.
Tap a star to rate
Reviews are moderated
We verify all reviews before publishing. No personal names, please.
Step 2 of 3
Rate the specifics
Optional — skip categories you're unsure about.
Safety
Amenities
Transport
Lifestyle
Noise
Step 3 of 3
Tell your story
What's the area actually like day to day?
0 / 1500
Don't name specific individuals.
Only used for moderation follow-up — never shown publicly or shared.
Related guides
Is Brackenham safe? Safest in Richards Bay Most affordable in Richards Bay Best for families in Richards Bay

NeighbourhoodIQ is an information service, not legal or financial advice. Scores are computed from public data and are indicative only. Crime data: SAPS. Demographics: Stats SA. Amenities: OpenStreetMap contributors.

Show nearby content

Allow location access to see nearby suburbs, complexes, and relevant local information.