Statement:
The level of criminal activities is lower in Portugal than in South Africa

In the The Most Criminal Countries rating Portugal holds position #108 2022 out of 139 and South Africa is #4 out of 139 2022.
Position of Portugal is better than position of South Africa.
South Africa is leader of the "The Most Criminal Countries" rating. So it is wise to avoid visiting the country or, at least, you need to take additional actions to protect your life and belongings, compared to Portugal

Referencies:

  1. The Most Criminal Countries 2022 by Numbeo
    The countries in the rating sorted by 'Crime Index' in descending order.
    Portugal 'Crime Index' value is 31.53
    South Africa 'Crime Index' value is 75.37