High levels of violent crime were not linked to poverty levels in municipalities across the country, a SA Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) study has found.

In a statement on Monday, the SAIRR said Eastern Cape municipalities had the highest murder rate, 54 murders per 100 000 people, and a poverty rate of 62 percent.

Limpopo municipalities, however, recorded the lowest murder rate but also had a poverty rate of 62 percent.

Education, housing examined

The findings form part of a local government study which assessed 80 indicators from each of 52 metropolitan and district municipalities.

The indicators included demographics, education, employment, housing, access to basic services, transport, social security, health, and crime. Click here to enter!

Western Cape municipalities also recorded a high murder rate with a low poverty rate of 27.5 percent.

Poverty rates varied across municipalities, nationally and within provinces.

Gauteng: basic services available

The Alfred Nzo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape recorded the highest poverty rate with 76 percent, while the lowest was in the West Coast Municipality and the Cape Winelands Municipality in the Western Cape.

The study also noted that the municipalities with the highest access to basic services were in Gauteng ? in the City of Johannesburg with only four percent of households without access to water, eight percent with no access to electricity and five percent with no access to sanitation.

In the Alfred Nzo District Municipality 54 percent of the residents had no access to water, 58 percent had no access to electricity and 63 percent had no access to sanitation.