Maduna: SA not crime capital

2003-02-17 17:05

Cape Town - Justice Minister Penuell Maduna on Wednesday criticised the perception in "certain circles" that South Africa is being overwhelmed by crime, and that the criminal justice system cannot cope and is run by incompetent people.

Speaking during debate in the National Assembly on President Thabo Mbeki's state of the nation address, he said there was also a perception that the country was the most violent and the crime capital of the world.

"People who espouse these notions ought to know better that the facts cannot bear them out," he said.

"While it is true that our crime and violence levels are unacceptably high for a country in peacetime, and while it is true that the criminal justice system faces numerous variegated problems, it is also true that government has made critical interventions which are already bearing fruit."

In 2000, the justice, peace and security cluster had embarked on a 10-year programme to stabilise and reduce crime, and build capacity within its departments.

The first phase was aimed at stabilising crime levels by 2003, and the second to bring them to international levels by 2009.

Maduna said, among other things, that specially-created units, such as the assets forfeiture unit, the directorate for serious economic offences, and the Scorpions, were making a real difference.

Other progress included special courts and extended court hours, while correctional services was focusing on rehabilitation.

Serious crime stable

Among other things, a restorative justice programme was in place, as well as programmes to turn youths away from the path of crime.

The problem of corruption was also being tackled, no matter who the guilty party was.

The 20 serious crime categories were in effect all stable or on the decrease.

Notably, the number of murders had dropped by 17% since 1999, primarily due to concentrated actions by the cluster on specific areas such as gang and taxi violence.

It was therefore impossible to conclude that nothing was being done in the fight against crime, Maduna said.

Earlier on Monday, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula briefed journalists and diplomats at parliament, and also dismissed claims that South Africa's crime levels were the highest in the world.

On a recent visit to the United Kingdom, he had himself read about numerous crimes, including the murder of a police officer and other violent crimes in that country.

Crime occurred all over the world, and no country was free of it, he said.

- SAPA