The New South Africa

From the Democratic Alliance Web Site.....http://www.da.org.za/DA/Site/Eng/News/Article.asp?ID=9114

Statement issued by: Dianne Kohler-Barnard, DA spokesperson on Safety & Security
08 July 2008

The results of the recent Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) survey into attitudes towards crime have confirmed that the fear of being a victim of crime is on the rise in South Africa(1). This is the second study(2) this year to confirm this trend.

This rising fear of crime is fully justified when it is seen against the backdrop of significant increases in home and business robberies and carjackings, as revealed in the latest crime statistics. Not only are these crimes on the rise, they are also becoming increasingly and senselessly violent. All too often it seems that defenceless women, children and the elderly are beaten and shot while their homes are plundered with impunity.

The government is clearly failing in its primary duty, to keep citizens safe. This is largely a result of its mismanagement of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Due to an astonishing lack of leadership the SAPS is seemingly unable to turn around the fight against crime.

This singular lack of leadership is exemplified by the decision to extend the contract of corruption-accused National Police Commissioner, Jackie Selebi. Official figures released to the DA today by the SAPS reveal that Jackie Selebi is being paid a total package worth over one million rand to stay at home, pending the outcome of the criminal case against him. According to the SAPS salary scales Selebi will earn over the next year between R912,918 and R1,094,748, which equates to over R90 000 per month. All the while the brave men and women who are out in the street actually fighting criminals have to get by on meagre salaries of R3000-R5000 per month.

In order to regain control of our streets and communities, the government needs to ensure that it puts in place a SAPS leadership that commands respect and dignity – not ridicule and shame. We must have a police service that is fit, well-trained, disciplined and fully equipped to do its job – not one which is demoralised, overweight, badly trained and poorly supervised. We must have a SAPS leader strong enough to undo the policy failures that began under Selebi’s command – particularly the disbanding of the specialised units.

South Africans deserve to live lives free of fear. The time has come to take a stand and refuse to accept anything less from government.

(1) Roberts, B. (2008). “Age of hope or anxiety? The dynamics of fear of crime in South Africa”. HSRC Review Volume 6: No. 2 June 2008
(2) Institute for Security Studies Victims of Crime Survey 2007. Released May 2008.