Dear Editor,
Susan Shabangu told the police to fire to kill at criminals. While those involved in the murder and thuggery in Alexandra are not cops, one can imagine how they associate the call from the minister with the belief that they are dealing with criminal elements from other countries.
We also hear of the unproven statistics that crime in the country is committed by foreigners, especially violent crime. Combine the incendiary statements and you have Alexandra.
The residents believe that criminal elements are Zimbabwean even though they know of criminals within their family. Perhaps like the crime against farmers which was investigated and found to be criminal rather than racist, we need to investigate whether it is urban legend or partly true that most violent crime in the country was perpetuated by foreigners. This would rely entirely on those who have been arrested and convicted.
Surely, we do keep these stats. If it is proven true, then it helps with border control techniques and provides the urgency, whereas if it is proven incorrect, we can publicise this information with the hope that people in other townships will know the facts.
We have SMS lines where people can report crime, but these are mostly accessible to the rich folk in the suburbs rather than in the townships. Perhaps a renewed effort is needed to encourage people to rather report criminal behaviour than taking the law into their own hands.
If the police refuse or fail to act, we need a vigilant media and NGOs who will report failures by the police to act on crime tips.
Len van Heerden
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