What is the one thing you would do to reduce the levels of crime in South Africa?

This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online:

What is the one thing you would do to reduce the levels of crime in South Africa?

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  • Zuma backs more power for police
  • 16 Responses to “What is the one thing you would do to reduce the levels of crime in South Africa?”

    1. Education & jobs would do us some freedom….

      October 5, 2009 at 10:26 am
    2. vincent #

      1)HIGHJACK: Ban all scrapyards and 2nd hand motor-parts dealership.
      2)MURDER/VIOLET CRIMES(with sure evidence): No bail
      3)CORRUPTION/FRAUD(with sure evidence): No bail and forfeit ASSETS,including legal ones.
      4)ALL CASES SHOULD BE COMPUTERISED(with no possibility of erasure(it will stop missing/sold files.

      October 5, 2009 at 11:50 am
    3. Jeff #

      The police is key. Pay them good salaries to make bribes less effective, motivate, equip and train them well, and be ruthless when it comes to fighting corruption within the SAPS.

      October 5, 2009 at 12:07 pm
    4. flim #

      Create as much quality employment as possible.

      October 5, 2009 at 12:13 pm
    5. Siobhan #

      What is the one thing I would do to bring down the level of crime in SA?

      Arrest all of those in government who have ignored, violated or obstructed the application of the law as it applies to government officials, including but not limited to:
      Zuma and his lawyer Hulley, Mpshe, Shabir Shaik, Mo Shaik (for Hefer nonsense), those in the NIA who released the spy tapes to Zuma’s lawyer, everyone in the TravelGate scandal, all federal and provincial officials who have given jobs or awarded tenders to cronies and/or family members, all federal and provincial officials whose departments have been given ‘qualified’ standing by the Auditor General for irregularities in their finances, Judge John Hlophe, Mbeki for the premature deaths of 300,000 people with HIV/AIDS, Tshabala-Msimang for the same crime…

      Oh, never mind. There aren’t enough prosecutors or enough prisons to deal with the bastards.

      October 5, 2009 at 12:44 pm
    6. Sue Krige #

      Arrest people consistently for so-called petty crimes.

      October 5, 2009 at 1:12 pm
    7. Lee Hall #

      We need men and women of integrity in government and in other positions of authority and prominence in our society.

      They are our role models, like it or not, and the message which they presently send is that the things which get one ahead are corruption, graft, nepotism, cronyism, compliance and materialism.

      On the other hand it would seem that honesty, integrity, moral courage, ability, hard work, education, altruism and a sense of responsibility (to name but a very few) are at best of little worth, and at worst, a very real disadvantage to making it in the world.

      Until we have leaders whom we can trust and whom we can admire for sustainable reasons, anything else which we might do to reduce crime will be about as effective as putting a bandaid on a suppurating wound.

      October 5, 2009 at 1:39 pm
    8. Duh! #

      Legalize the public baring of guns. Anyone over 16 must be allowed to open carry.

      October 5, 2009 at 2:00 pm
    9. Tjaart #

      Capital punishment for:
      murder
      rape
      drug trafficking
      child/women abuse
      armed robbery
      theft of government funds / corruption / nepotism
      armed robbery / hijack

      We must be too scared to drive 121km/h!!!!!! or to cross an orange robot!!!!!
      If your template has got round holes, no use bringing square pegs!!!!

      October 5, 2009 at 3:17 pm
    10. brigs #

      Be kind to your neighbour, where hey are hungry feed them, where they are home less, shelter them. Where ever they are treat them with the dignity you yourself would like to deserve where you in their shoes.

      October 5, 2009 at 3:59 pm
    11. Eric #

      Provide excellent education for everyone, starting with the youngest children and working up to eventually include tertiary education. Employment and the economy must surely follow, and a sense of pride and place in society along with them. Sure, it will take 20 years to reap the rewards, but we’ve wasted 15 years already. If we had started back in 1994, then we would now be on the cusp of social and economic revolutions, as an entire generation of educated young citizens emerged into adulthood. Alas — they are lost. But now is the time to start building the school-leavers of 2020.

      October 5, 2009 at 5:06 pm
    12. Peter Win #

      Well this is a first for me. I will vote with Siphiwo !

      Education and jobs are key. In a country where there is no safety net for joblessness, we should at least try to have a job for everyone – even if it is building roads manually, like during the depression of the 1920′s. And those that refuse manual labour and then commit crime should receive harsh penalties.

      And those in Government found guilty of corruption, even harsher.

      October 6, 2009 at 12:24 am
    13. James #

      Stiff mandatory minimum sentences for those caught with illegal weapons.

      October 6, 2009 at 7:34 am
    14. Dirk Botes #

      Control the borders!

      October 6, 2009 at 7:47 am
    15. Stuart Joubert #

      I would approach Interpol, Scotland Yard and the FBI – yes, all three – and request that small teams of experienced officers from each of these services be seconded in an advisory capacity to the SAPs with a view to enhancing the level of training, motivation and organisation of serving members of the SAPS.

      What is clear is that the SAPS is neither adequately trained, equipped nor motivated for the task it confronts.

      The SAPS’s demonstrated inability to respond appropriately to the problem of crime in South Africa must be addressed, urgently, so that ordinary citizens – and visitors to the country – can enjoy levels of personal security at least as high as might reasonably be expected in a developing nation.

      Vietnam is a good example of a nation with extremes of poverty on the one hand, but streets that are safe by day and by night on the other.

      Take back the streets, and issues of poverty and unemployment can be dealt with in an atmosphere of trust and confidence in the nation’s future.

      Most important of all is that the government of the day should possess a sincere intention and the political will to deal with the problem of crime. Without a clear commitment from the government, the matter will be left in the hands of individuals, private security contractors and vigilantes.

      February 17, 2010 at 7:29 am
    16. Adriane Edwards #

      How interesting: so many fanciful ideas on the effects and nothing on the cause of crime. Is it not obvious rather to stop the roof from leaking than bothering about the buckets and towels? Address the cause: How is it possible that a human became an outcast? How does he feel about himself; has he got a loved one; what is the one wish for himself; has he got any hope?.
      Humans are born helpless and never outgrow the need for compassion, respect, care and self- determination.
      If my crimes have not been so offensive that I am labelled an criminal then I have been blessed!

      April 3, 2011 at 5:52 pm

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