Loaded Minds is a concept expressed by a band, Spirit of the West, about the increasing violent responses and calls for violence that has ingrained violence as a viable response. It is the same thinking that claims that it is acceptable that the cost of peace is war.
The crime and especially the violence that accompanies it in South Africa is scary to say the least. It weighs on me a lot as I grew up in a place where we never locked our doors or worried about muggings, murder and rape. In the new South Africa I wake up at least once every night worried that the sounds in the garden are thieves or intruders. On occasion it has been thieves and thankfully not murderers.
People had come through the garden not to long ago and stolen a lawn mower, nothing too serious or expensive. The second lawn mower was stolen out of the garage. A month after that a bar fridge went astray from the cottage behind the house. Another time my potjie and braai was nicked from the garage despite security changes. It never ends it seems.
Despite this theft and a few other little incidents I do not wish to have a gun in my house nor would I wish for the armed response company to show up and gun them down. I hear more and more responses for the cops to shoot first and know of people that are armed and fully prepared to kill for their property.
With the violence that accompanies home invasions its no wonder there is a violent shift in the way people think. But of course it is circular as if the thieves know you are armed they arm themselves accordingly; people arm themselves against armed intruders; potentially ad infinitum like a Cold War arms race.
The reality is that we can never win in this situation. But where to from here? Is the inevitable shift of the middle class to gated communities? Compounds? England? Canada?
People have quit looking to the police for help. My neighbourhood has formed a committee and some members are working extremely hard to do the job of the police. The police at the local station seem rather complacent. I was going to say corpulent, but I won’t comment on the obese members of the police force that appear incapable of doing their jobs and just focus on those unwilling to do so. Put the fat ones out on the beat – walking as a presence in the neighbourhoods on the ground. One does lose hope in the police force when they have no idea of community policing. Where are the cops on the street?
I come from Edmonton in the Canadian province of Alberta and my city was known for a long time as the murder capital of Canada. We had, in one of our worst years, 24 murders in a city of about a million. My intention is not compare murder rates from Canada, but to point out that in that city cops were always out patrolling and on the streets. The visible presence of the police works well to regulate bad behaviour.
On Friday night at Umbilo Police station I have personally seen a dozen cops sitting in the charge office chatting away instead of doing their job. I live two blocks from this place and a call to 1011 takes more than 15 minutes for a response. I can walk in under 3 minutes to the police station. The response by the police is that they did not have a vehicle available. I know people who were assaulted by the police for complaining about prostitution in the area. I also know detectives and other cops who are really trying hard, but get no support from their colleagues.
We in South Africa are under siege. If we are able to, we erect walls, install alarms, hire private police forces and lock ourselves away; some people chose to arm themselves, we buy large aggressive dogs and we still get robbed, hurt and pissed off.
The media should be taking a lead and be honest and represent crime as a crisis. This is not to generate a panic. We are under siege. Anyone who denies that is ignorant, stupid, or working for the government.
The big difference in how safe we feel is in the response. My Australian nephew was savagely beaten and stabbed by 3 yobs in Canada. He owes his life to bystanders who intervened (and were also attacked) and speedy medical response which helicoptered him to hospital in the nearest big city. Within weeks the perpetrators were in court. In SA he would likely have died on the spot and the perpetrators never apprehended. And if he’d been black, no one outside his family would have been concerned.
I suppose there’s a trade off between living in South Africa and living elsewhere. It could be that what attracts people to this country or make them stay is exactly what causes others to resort to crime. Granted it is a vicious circle, the absence of skilled and moneyed people leads to slow economic growth and more destitution.I’m in no way condoning crime but I’m just challenging everyone of us to do introspection. As long as we believe that there isn’t enough to go around for all of us, and it therefore makes sense to deny others livelyhood opportunities, crime will be with us for a long long time. I hear you saying I’m insulting poor people by attributing crime to them. Believe what you will, I can tell you that criminals stay within communities and in most instances are protected from the authorities by their communities.
@Sipho
I suspect many within the government also share your views:
-Its a tradeoff.
-I’m in no way condoning crime, but…
-crime will be with us for a long long time.
-Communities protect criminals from the authorities.
This kind of cynicism is a recipe for DISASTER in SA on the long run. It also explains why the government simply paid lip service to crime for the past 15 years and why they don’t see it as a top priority in the coming years.
As a South African living abroad I have to agree with you: You are under siege. Living overseas in a safe environment makes one realise this. The peace of mind I have living in a place I don’t have to lock my doors at night is invaluable. I could never go back to S.A. and live like that.
Sipho, I agree and the bottom line is that a lot of South African people are morally corrupt, just look at the leadership (both sides).
As for skills, if we had any hope whatsoever that the crime would be resolved one day, I would not be living anywhere else but South Africa. Not everyone is prepared to die violently in the country they love.
I wish there was more hope but quite frankly, the power that be had the chance to get a grip on crime and poverty reduction but blew it squabling about who gets the bone. Sadly, I think it’s too late unless another miracle of grand proportions take place.
Michael, good article, understand your frustration, been there, done that, eventually got the case numbers (most of them) but gave up eventually. I was lucky to have the excuse that my wife threatened to leave with or without me.
Once again, couched in some of these comments is the allusion that crime in SA is because of poverty, some people having more than others, these being typically white so this is a consequence of “Aputt-Hate” and whitey is getting his just desserts for having the effrontary to own a home, car, possessions etc. that define some aspiration to a quality of and purpose of life for his lifelong endeavours in a black country.
Of course what every white person in SA has and what every black person does not have, is the fault of “past imbalances” and therefore the accumulation of assets by white poeple is subject to fair redistribution amongst blacks and any amount of criminal violence, murder, rape pillage and plunder to effect such redistribution is fair pennance for “Aputt-hate” that every white person should pay, permanently.
There is so much more to this “circle of violence” that this post, that the mainstream media and that the Mail and Guardian (of what??) will NEVER speak about that has got absolutely nothing to do with inequality, especially now 15 years since “Aputt-hate” was gloriously defeated by way of bombs and assault rifle attacks on civilian establishments and churches and everything to do with why the rest of Africa, especially Zimbabwe is in the state it is in.
But of course, nobody in the mainstream media has the balls to say so, or admit to that, because the truth must be suppressed at all costs hey?
I am a South African living in Sweden and inspite of the very low crime statistics here,police presence is virtuelly all over Stockholm. Especially weekends one would find police and security guards on the undergrounds,near pubs, discos and various assembly spots across the city.
About four years ago i was stopped by the police and warned.WHY? I did not have rear lights on bicycle. I was glad though because the fine would have been R700.
There are many fine policemen and women doing a fantastic job in RSA but RSA is held hostage by criminals and more needs to be done.
More police visibility,more training, better salaries and get rid of corrupt police.
With the World Cup ahead, the government needs to act and act NOW.
I’m an American citizen. I’ve visited SA many times as I have close friends living there. Much is written about the violent crime in SA, as it should be. People in SA live in palpable fear, anxiety and deep cynicism. It is unlike any other place I’ve visited.
My friends in SA have been violently assulted, robbed, had cars stolen, been burglarized…the list goes on. When I suggest that they call the police and report that a crime has been committed against them I receive a cynical laugh in response. “Yank, just don’t understand”. They tell me the cops are incompetent and corrupt. Its a strange place, SA. Criminals thrive in an environment where they know there is no law, no enforcement, no restraints. It extends to non-violent crimes. This same family has been swindled more than once by predatory and dispicable fraudsters posing as respectable businessmen. Lord of the Flies in real life. There was a time that I considered relocating to SA. No more.
South Africa,
This has been a country in the dreams for twenty years. I visited the country when I was 14 for a Safari and promised myself that I would move and settle in the country some day. I liked everyone I met, even the drunk guys hanging in the streets.
But from what I have been reading over the last decade… looks like the country has really gone down the drain. The ANC seems to have been a good liberation movement, but an ineffective governing one. So this dream of mine to move to the country and contribute to the development of a truly multiethinic society has been put on the shelf. Until the governing party rounds up and locks up all the criminal elements, purges the party of crooks and allows me to bring my AR-15 with me… sorry, my Software Developement business is gonna stay right here in good ol’ New Jersey.
The U.S. works well because we have a real democracy: A TWO party system, with a viable opposition. The only hope I see for the improvement in South Africa is the rise of Cope, or another party that challenges the ANC monopoly. Good luck South Africa, you need it.
Dave Harris, have you done any citizen arrest in your life? Have you alerted the authorities to your friends, relatives or companies criminal activities. How often have you suspected that the judiciary is biased when it passes a judgement that you don’t? How often do you sulk and curse when there are roadblocks. Do you know anyone who smoke dagga, did you find out where they get and set police on the supplier. Crime is crime and it should never be relative!
I do sometimes despair as I love South Africa. I change my mind daily as to whether or not this pace is getting better or worse or is it just changing and the consequences still unknown.
Ngodoi,
I assume you are implying some sort of racial failure or something innately African? Each failed state in Africa has a set of complex histories, events and trajectories that resulted in the failure. To attribute it to any singular thing is flawed thinking. The same logic applied elsewhere would mean Europeans are innately flawed due to the Holocaust or the collapse of Yugoslavia. Why resort to reductionist arguments? This type of argument neither furthers debate nor builds non-racialism.
Ayan,
South Africa needs a viable opposition as you state. But it needs an electoral overhaul as the party list system is flawed to say the least. However, American style democracy is not a great model. I much prefer the multi-party system of the UK or Canada. Representatives have to work and lobby from within their communities in order to become part of the government so diversity in the country affects governance.
Keep safe everyone!
“Anyone who denies that is ignorant, stupid, or working for the government.” Add Sipho to the list.
SAPS is a “service” that is paid a small salary – not a Law Enforcement Agent. They need to supplement their income with their criminal colleagues.
The Commissioner charged (he will get off by the way) and so many suspended policemen, plus those not yet caught – what can you expect ?
Protection for law abiding citizens from criminals ?
This is Africa and anything not working is due to Africans being victims :
The violence is excused – its by people who were brutally suppressed. (Most were toddlers but that’s irrelevant.)
Racism, Colonialism, Foreign Migrants, Poverty, Apartheid,
Whites given their possessions; now distributed .
African solution to African Problems.
Oriental countries have poverty without crime. They work hard for a pittance.
They expect no handouts.
There seems to be an emphasis on the economic crimes which is unwarranted. I am Zimbabwean with South African roots. My impression of the society in South Africa is that of an angry society with large sections that have a very malicious anger. In the immigrant community in Hillbrow and all over South Africa that anger is as manifest as it is in the locals. High numbers of murders and beatings in the black community including schools are not for economic gain but seem to be instigated by other social issues. One could say it is a culture to be violent and malicious and to accept same.
In Zimbabwe when it is the festive season the media and police give warnings to expect an increase in the incidences of violence and crime due to the coming of “injiva” (people working in South Africa)and true to say they have lived up to that reputation. When I meet ex schoolmates or guys from my hood back in Bulawayo or even relatives there is that feeling you do not get when you are with them in Zimbabwe. The first answer should be to the phenomenon of non economic crime. Why all the violence, the rapes, murders, intimidation, threatening, malicious intent towards your fellow man regardless of race?
In other words let us try and answer the question posed by Thabo Mbeki”Whatever happened in the evolution of our society?”
@Sipho
I’m not sure what your point is but when you speak of a “citizen arrest” and spying on one’s friends and relatives, I think we’ve lost the war.
An effective police force and the rule of law is what prevents crime. Its been successful in democracies all over the world for centuries. Vigilantism does not work, otherwise the US would still be like the wild west. Martial law does not work and neither does barbaric punishment like in the Middle East. Spying on your friends and neighbors goes against human nature and societal values. It the government that need to provide safety to its citizens. The safety of every citizen is in the SA constitution, its just not taken seriously by the present government.
Dave Harris my point is we all worry only about crime that is likely to affect us. I’m just saying there’s too much collusion across all South African communities to undermine the rule of law. If you can’t spy on your friends and family, why would everyone else do it. Let’s all protect our own criminals and complain about the criminals we don’t know because they might hurt us. As for your example of America, I have nothing to say as I don’t have all the facts to make an informed decision. I have a sneaking suspicion though that America has its own challenges as far as law and order is concerned. But I know you won’t mention those as that would undermine your point.
Old, female paleface, labelling or insulting people doesn’t make your argument stronger. Just make you point and let the readers decide.
It’s more respectable, assuming offcourse you care about such small things as respect.
quiet refreshing post
@Sipho
“America has its own challenges as far as law and order is concerned..”
Yes, they certainly do, but the the police force is decentralized. Federal police, 50+ states police and city police in thousands of cities. MOST communities enjoy absolute safety (in comparison) while a FEW experience levels of crime like in SA. There is zero tolerance of violent crime in most communities. I suspect we can learn from them about how to start by at least creating pockets of safety within our communities and gradually building and extending this out.
South Africans should not leave because of crime, but they should emigrate to seek greener pastures or if they somehow cannot live under the present government. Basic human safety is what everyone South African dreams of. Although its enshrined in our constitution, our short-sighted government simply chooses to pay lip service to controlling crime. The longer we wait the harder it is to control crime since as humans we are built to automatically adjust to the rising crime to survive. Hence we become cynical and formulate a myriad of excuses to justify our inaction.
@ Dave Harris
I hear you Dave but I still think we all need to have zero tolerance for any form of crime. Once we start categorising crime we enter the class domain, where the educated can hack into the bank computers and steal money whereas the great unwashed has to shoot his way into the bank to achieve the same end. And we condemn the great unwashed for using a crude instrument to achieve what others achieve by using sophisticated instruments. How many people have illegally taken money out of the country and used their dislike of the current government as an excuse for breaking the law? In most communities it is tolerated to cheat the state; from inteferring with household electricity meters to dumping domestic and industrial waste in open spaces. The mantra seem to be, it’s ok to cheat the system as long as you don’t get caught. To me it’s more of a mind set problem than a policing matter, even though efficient policing would go a long way in addressing the problem. I ‘ve seen motorist indicating to cars moving in the opposite direction that there were police officers manning speed traps along the way. This kind of mind set is generally embedded in our nation’s psche.
@Sipho
I do agree that South Africans seem to have lost their values and rebelling against authority is commonplace. Remember though that SA did recently go through a liberation struggle where we succeeded in making SA ungovernable, so we’ve gotten pretty good at it. The fact that we signal to oncoming motorists of a roadblock ahead is natural. NOBODY like to be stopped and searched. In the US, devices sold to motorists to detect police radars are legal. Almost everyone speeds when they can on the highway – this is human nature. Most people do not have the integrity of you or Gandhi. Society has to protect itself from lawbreakers.
The real issue to be addressed however, is VIOLENT crime that pervades SA like no other country in the world. This fear of ones safety is what tears away at our social fabric, causes people to emigrate, keeps tourists away and makes it difficult to do business in SA.
Once you begin to create safer communities within SA, you start to give people hope when you show them whats possible. The longer crime festers in our communities, the more cynical and less hopeful one becomes. Effective policing coupled with a civic education is the only way to control crime in SA.
I am from India and visited Southafrica to see the cricket world cup.Initially I thought it was a nice place ,but then I started to see electric fences and security phone no’s all over .I checked into the hotel and went for an evening walk .I noticed that all streets are empty and four huge black south africans were running up towards me on an empty street .I ran like a mad man,as fast as I could back inside the hotel.I then hired a ‘white african guy ‘ as a guide and chauffer and he showed me around .The places he showed me scared me.I got a true picture of South Africa ,after chatting up with a policeman in the hotel bar in the evening.After this,I wanted to get away as fast as i could ,and I did so after just seeing one cricket match.India is 100 times safer and people have more common sense here.