The current rate of
crime in our society has reached alarming proportions. new senseless killings of
innocent lives, the harassment of law abiding citizens, and loss of property is
totally not accepted at all levels and walks of our society. The impact of
reported and unreported incidents of crime continue to negate our newly found
democracy with disastrous effects to our economy. Taking into account the nearly
2 million serious crimes reported last year including 18.938 murders and 66838
robberies. The high level of unemployment can no longer be associated or put as
an excuse for high level of crime because of senseless killings which cannot be
linked to poverty and wants. Armed robbery, rape, murder hijacking, theft and
house breaking has dramatically increased since1992, this has damaged the fabric
of our society. The government [Police, defense force] has tried its level best
to combat crime, individual citizens, sectors of the society business community,
both electronic and print media has contributed enormously towards the
solutions, however the criminals at this point in time think that they are a
step ahead of all this efforts. Investor confidence has reached low levels which
adversely affects employment opportunities, inflation, money markets and economic growth
which 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 to
fight this epidemic. 1.1 SANCO The Organization is a National unitary structure
composed of 9 Provincial structures. Below the provinces the are regions,
sub-regions, local branches and street communities. This structures exists and
function in almost all the townships, inner cities and rural areas. SANCO has
more than 3000 launched local civics with millions of resident members. It is
our honest view in this matter that the Organization with its structure, and
formation is best located to successfully launch an anti-crime campaign which
can make an impact in finding solutions against crime. In the black townships
crime has been rampant and not properly checked and controlled, because of
inadequate and inefficient methods applied, the socio- economic and political
factors, the manner in which police are perceived taking into account their past
activities and focus. This factors has resulted to criminals having a safe haven
in townships. 2. ANTI CRIME CAMPAIGN In order to effectively have a successful
campaign SANCO has identified the following points which are seen as departure
points. - Communities to proudly own and understand the campaign prior to its
launch. [community driven]. - The negative consequences of crime must be
highlighted which results to Unemployment, Poverty, loss of life, loss of
property, harassment and unsafe environment. - To correct the wrong perceptions
that all -price are involved in criminal activities. - 'Me responsibility of
each individual citizen to be part of a solution against crime. 2.1. In order to
maximize community participation and understanding the campaign itself, it is
important to develop a very simple and easy to understand program. It is a
deeply entrenched custom with a very known history that an informer"impimpi"]
is killed and not accepted within black communities. In order to deal with wrong
perceptions 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 witness
or have information about a crime committed/or to be committed... will phone the
central toll free number report the crime, evidence or incident. Listant minimal
reward have to be paid after an arrest ismade. 2.1. Every reported crime the
caller 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 the
individualconcerned. 1. A central data and reporting centre must be established.
The centre must beindependently operative and directly linked with the police
station and intelligence unitto supply information. LAUNCH AND STRATEGY The
campaign must be launched in starting with the most affected areas. The overall
objective is to launch it as a National campaign. Before the launch, it must be
accepted and understood by communities through process of mass meetings, street
committees, police forums, organized labor church formations, etc. - In order to
focus 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 to
include all organs of civil society for adoption and to be preceded by a launch
-ftia@rch or rally. Communities must be concretized through popular education
about thenegative effects of crimes. 3. User friendly pamphlets and posters can
be effective. The public must also be ensured about the confidentiality of
reporting to the Data and Reporting Centre. - Both print and electronic media
must be utilized to publicize the campaign. Bill boardsand wall murrials must
feature prominently for advertisement purposes. Schools and churches, stok-vels
and sports events must be targeted to spread andsustain the programme.
Consultation Process Tle programme must be adopted by the NEC. A meeting with
the ministry of Safety and Security - Rewards and Data and reporting centre).
Business community for funding especially NEDCOR. CONCLUSLOA Our approach to the
campaign is informed by Fundamental objective conditions that prevail throughout
the country and perceptions emerging from various institutions and organizations
the subject of crime. The current wave of crime must be properly located within
an informed political context. During the apartheid era the level of crime and
instability was no different. The media focused its attention on political
upheavals and created a wrong impression that crime was either non-existence or
low. The police force or some of its elements are not committed to eradicating
crime. Community Policing Forums are marginalized and rendered ineffective
deliberately. Some key players in the private sector who are naturally
unpatriotic especially to the present government are calling for radical steps
to end crime as a precondition to further investments. A call to the private
sector never made end political repression and violence in some provinces during
the apartheid era. Blacks are identified as major perpetrators of crime though
narrow identification of certain incidence of crime which are conveniently
ascribed to be committed by the black youth. 'Misapproach undermines white
collar crime and those who supervise black youth to hijack cars, sell drugs. A
deliberate plan by the intelligence not to crack down on these syndicates in the
same way as UDF activities and ANC cadres in exile were traced. Whilst we
acknowledge that the current government program is inadequate including both the
justice system and correctional services., We are convinced that all the
contemporary critiques have a hidden agenda to render country unstable. 0 Based
on these factors and many more we cannot support the re-introduction of the
death penalty. The death penalty will not resolve crime. Perpetrators of crime
are well organized and wealthy formations who will not be affected by the death
penalty. The majority of victimsto the death penalty will be young black people
who are pawns and a tip of an iceberg to thereal cause crime. For these reasons
our campaign as SANCO focuses on complimenting the initiatives of all those with
genuine intentions in particular the government. We must all pull our efforts
together with genuine objectives to reed this country of all facets of crime.