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

In the The Most Criminal Countries rating South Africa holds position #4 ²⁰²² out of 139 and Afghanistan is #3 out of 139 ²⁰²².
Position of South Africa is better than position of Afghanistan.
Both countries are leaders 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 most countries of the World.

Referencies:

1. The Most Criminal Countries ²⁰²² by Numbeo

   The countries in the rating sorted by 'Crime Index' in descending order.

   Afghanistan	'Crime Index' value is	78.19
   South Africa	'Crime Index' value is	75.37