South Africa’s ultimate stats smokescreen lives to see another year
The South African Police service recently released crime statistics for the 2007/2008 year. Numbers were reported for the 12-months starting 1 April 2007, except for Rape & Indecent Assault which only covered the nine months to 31 December 2007. This was
How about some real world feedback?
Another concern is the sharp rise in certain sub-categories of the aggravated robberies mentioned above. Car hi-jacking was up 4.4% to 14 201 incidents while truck hi-jacking surged 39.6% to 1 245 incidents. This area seemed to be under control in recent periods; but previous successes have quickly been undone. Robbery at business premises was up 47.4%. And we can attest to that statistic... A local business complex in our area has been hit more than 7 times since the beginning of this year.
Robberies at residential premises were also up 13.5% with 14 481 incidents reported. Over the past few days FAnews Online can recount a litany of crimes in a rather ‘quiet’ area in the Tshwane municipality. These include three house breakings and a smash-and-grab on a 70-year old lady. And we’ve not even asked around to find out what other colleagues have experienced. We’ve also heard of burglars robbing a house, waiting for insurers to replace the goods, and then hitting that house again – up to four times in six months!
Something that isn’t conveyed in the statistics is the impact these robberies have on the victims. Your house is supposed to be your castle. Any breach of this security has a lasting and damaging impact.
The challenges include ill-discipline and questionable leadership
One of the major disappointments in our countries fledgling democracy is the absolute lack of accountability. Leaders in almost every public service organisation are rated on party loyalty rather than performance. And one has to ask how much better the crime numbers would look if the SAPS and Metro Police senior management wasn’t on long leave or suspended. National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi has been on long leave since being charged with three counts of corruption and one of defeating the ends of justice in February this year. What has he been doing since then? Despite the cloud hanging over his head, President Thabo Mbeki recently extended his contract by another year. Can you imagine? You’re put on long leave (not suspended) because of serious questions over you competency to hold a position and your boss offers you another 12-month extension as reward!
Johannesburg Metro Police chief, Robert McBride has been suspended since a July 2007 after being charged with drunken driving, fraud and defeating the course of justice. He made a brief appearance at the ‘office’ during the recent outbreak of xenophobic (sorry criminal) violence only to loose a few shotgun rounds at protestors… Many think he should never have been promoted to this position in the first place.
Selebi and McBride contribute to South Africa’s police force being among the most disillusioned in the world. They’re not getting the sensible and dedicated leadership they deserve. Instead of ‘lead by example’ policing types they’re taking orders from politicians who are more worried about keeping their jobs or fighting court cases than tackling crime.
We can duck and dive or we can solve the problem
Shortly after the crime statistics were released, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula addressed an audience at an Institute of Security Studies seminar in Pretoria. “Crime is a problem for our nation,” he said. He argued that the country’s crime problem was not only the responsibility of government and the SAPS. “Why are we not uniting? It is an attack on all of us,” he said. We wonder exactly what the minister would like us to do. Should we get together in giant groups and run through the streets dragging suspected criminals from their places of hiding? Should we barricade our houses and stop going out at night. Should we double the amount of money we spend on private security firms?
Government needs to realise that fighting crime is largely beyond the means of the ordinary citizen. Even experienced and dedicated police force members are finding some situations too hot to handle. So our part in fighting crime is going to be to whinge about it continually until government ups its game. And because we’re in a generous mood we’ll make a few suggestions to assist Nqakula and the SAPS to make some inroads into the problem. You need to get tough on crime. Combine the resources at your disposal and make crime prevention a national priority. And speak to the country’s citizens on a regular basis to update them on your progress. When you’re seen to be serious about tackling crime you’ll be amazed at how quickly the public perception will change.
Statistics remain little more than sets of numbers that politicians can massage and manipulate until they reflect the best possible picture. The experience we have on the ground is entirely less ‘fantastic’!
Editor’s thoughts:
If the SAPS reduces murders at the current rate for the next 10 years there will still be 12 300 murders per year in South Africa. It’s clear that much more needs to be done to instil law and order in the country we love so much. We’d like to hear any constructive suggestions you have to help reduce violent crime in South Africa. Send your comments to gareth@fanews.co.za, or add them below.
