The current rate ofcrime in our society has reached alarming proportions. new senseless killings ofinnocent lives, the harassment of law abiding citizens, and loss of property istotally not accepted at all levels and walks of our society. The impact ofreported and unreported incidents of crime continue to negate our newly founddemocracy with disastrous effects to our economy. Taking into account the nearly2 million serious crimes reported last year including 18.
938 murders and 66838robberies. The high level of unemployment can no longer be associated or put asan excuse for high level of crime because of senseless killings which cannot belinked to poverty and wants. Armed robbery, rape, murder hijacking, theft andhouse breaking has dramatically increased since1992, this has damaged the fabricof our society. The government [Police, defense force] has tried its level bestto combat crime, individual citizens, sectors of the society business community,both electronic and print media has contributed enormously towards thesolutions, however the criminals at this point in time think that they are astep ahead of all this efforts.
Investor confidence has reached low levels whichadversely affects employment opportunities, inflation, money markets and economic growthwhich ultimately affects the whole populace and the image of this new democratic order. SANCO as a community mass based Organization, has a responsibility and role to contribute tofight this epidemic. 1. 1 SANCO The Organization is a National unitary structurecomposed of 9 Provincial structures. Below the provinces the are regions,sub-regions, local branches and street communities. This structures exists andfunction in almost all the townships, inner cities and rural areas.
SANCO hasmore than 3000 launched local civics with millions of resident members. It isour honest view in this matter that the Organization with its structure, andformation is best located to successfully launch an anti-crime campaign whichcan make an impact in finding solutions against crime. In the black townshipscrime has been rampant and not properly checked and controlled, because ofinadequate and inefficient methods applied, the socio- economic and politicalfactors, the manner in which police are perceived taking into account their pastactivities and focus. This factors has resulted to criminals having a safe havenin townships. 2.
ANTI CRIME CAMPAIGN In order to effectively have a successfulcampaign SANCO has identified the following points which are seen as departurepoints. – Communities to proudly own and understand the campaign prior to itslaunch. [community driven]. – The negative consequences of crime must behighlighted which results to Unemployment, Poverty, loss of life, loss ofproperty, harassment and unsafe environment. – To correct the wrong perceptionsthat all -price are involved in criminal activities.
– ‘Me responsibility ofeach individual citizen to be part of a solution against crime. 2. 1. In order tomaximize community participation and understanding the campaign itself, it isimportant to develop a very simple and easy to understand program. It is adeeply entrenched custom with a very known history that an informer”impimpi”]is killed and not accepted within black communities. In order to deal with wrongperceptions about police and the perception that crime is directed to whites is justifiable,this anti-crime campaign will be known as ” “for a simple reason that[ Siyapimpa we “inform” for a good cause] Crime is against freedom,democracy and RDP.
2. 2. The campaign is as follows (a) Every person who witnessor have information about a crime committed/or to be committed. .
. will phone thecentral toll free number report the crime, evidence or incident. Listant minimalreward have to be paid after an arrest ismade. 2. 1. Every reported crime thecaller will have to leave [ optional for rewards] his/hercontact details.
2. 3. If an arrest is made a minimal reward have to be paid as incentive to theindividualconcerned. 1.
A central data and reporting centre must be established. The centre must beindependently operative and directly linked with the policestation and intelligence unitto supply information. LAUNCH AND STRATEGY Thecampaign must be launched in starting with the most affected areas. The overallobjective is to launch it as a National campaign. Before the launch, it must beaccepted and understood by communities through process of mass meetings, streetcommittees, police forums, organized labor church formations, etc.
– In order tofocus our campaign the listing of types of crime to be prioritized eg. murder,armed robbery, rape, hijacking etc. 2. An anti-crime summit must be organized toinclude all organs of civil society for adoption and to be preceded by a launch[emailprotected] or rally. Communities must be concretized through popular educationabout thenegative effects of crimes.
3. User friendly pamphlets and posters canbe effective. The public must also be ensured about the confidentiality ofreporting to the Data and Reporting Centre. – Both print and electronic mediamust be utilized to publicize the campaign.
Bill boardsand wall murrials mustfeature prominently for advertisement purposes. Schools and churches, stok-velsand sports events must be targeted to spread andsustain the programme. Consultation Process Tle programme must be adopted by the NEC. A meeting withthe ministry of Safety and Security – Rewards and Data and reporting centre). Business community for funding especially NEDCOR.
CONCLUSLOA Our approach to thecampaign is informed by Fundamental objective conditions that prevail throughoutthe country and perceptions emerging from various institutions and organizationsthe subject of crime. The current wave of crime must be properly located withinan informed political context. During the apartheid era the level of crime andinstability was no different. The media focused its attention on politicalupheavals and created a wrong impression that crime was either non-existence orlow. The police force or some of its elements are not committed to eradicatingcrime.
Community Policing Forums are marginalized and rendered ineffectivedeliberately. Some key players in the private sector who are naturallyunpatriotic especially to the present government are calling for radical stepsto end crime as a precondition to further investments. A call to the privatesector never made end political repression and violence in some provinces duringthe apartheid era. Blacks are identified as major perpetrators of crime thoughnarrow identification of certain incidence of crime which are convenientlyascribed to be committed by the black youth.
‘Misapproach undermines whitecollar crime and those who supervise black youth to hijack cars, sell drugs. Adeliberate plan by the intelligence not to crack down on these syndicates in thesame way as UDF activities and ANC cadres in exile were traced. Whilst weacknowledge that the current government program is inadequate including both thejustice system and correctional services. , We are convinced that all thecontemporary critiques have a hidden agenda to render country unstable. 0 Basedon these factors and many more we cannot support the re-introduction of thedeath penalty. The death penalty will not resolve crime.
Perpetrators of crimeare well organized and wealthy formations who will not be affected by the deathpenalty. The majority of victimsto the death penalty will be young black peoplewho are pawns and a tip of an iceberg to thereal cause crime. For these reasonsour campaign as SANCO focuses on complimenting the initiatives of all those withgenuine intentions in particular the government. We must all pull our effortstogether with genuine objectives to reed this country of all facets of crime.
