There has been an increase in the deviant acts and violent crime across South Africa. The statistics are puzzling and Altbeker (2005) has asked the question; has South Africa turned out to be world`s crime capital? Recently, President Jacob Zuma has been heard saying "We`re living in the nation of thugs". Why so much crime?
The violent crimes in this country are predominantly due to strains. Strains refer to “events or conditions that are disliked by an individual” (Agnew, 2006: 77). However, this does not elaborate why South Africa suffers such high levels f violent crime.
If you travel to countries such as Zimbabwe, you will notice that Police officers don`t carry firearms at all but the country violent crimes is very low. In contrast, South African police officers carry firearms all the time and somehow the carrying of firearms correlates with the high violence in looking at the murder or gangsters shooting in South Africa. According to CSVR one factor that has heavily assisted the violent crime in South Africa is the increase of ownership of firearms. It is unquestionable that there is an increase in ownership of firearms in South Africa and that factor has contributed a lot in the violence crimes. Most robberies and murders are somehow conducted by a pistol. In fact, few years back the was operation which was conducted by the government for people to return unlicensed firearms, many firearms were returned but nobody actually knows even today where did these people get these firearms from the beginning.
Several scholars associated crime with inequality. On the other hand, South Africa’s Gini coefficient is nearly undoubtedly amid the highest in the world. According to the World Bank definition, inequality refers to an indicator of how resources are distributed within the society. There is a widening gap amongst the rich and the disadvantaged in South Africa which is broadening up daily.
As an outcome, utmost individuals still dwell in squatter camps antagonized by poverty daily. Poverty designates the state of lacking sufficient means to live.
One factor that affects South Africa Mostly is the issue of poor justice system and implementation. We`re this country which is recognized with one of the finest Constitution in the world. Everything is pin point on paper poignantly our action say some thing else. In addition, this brings us to the point of poor police services which I wanted to elaborate on. The point of departure for that could be traced back to the apartheid regime however, in this case let`s concentrate on things happen after 1994.
Likewise, the Commissioner of Metropolitan police Mark Robert argued that a good Police officer is the one who doesn`t employ criminals but the one who captures more (Jensen, 2008). This implies that the police are supposed to execute their duties than assisting criminals to commit crime.
Clearly that has not been the case in South Africa. To support this argument, let`s reflect back on what it has been trendy recently. In 2008 the National commissioner of South African Police Service, Jackie Selebi was charged with corruption and defeating the ends of justice system (Bruce, 2008). Jackie Selebi was found in collaboration with an alleged drug dealer by the name of Glenn Agliotti who’s involved in many drug smuggling in this country. Another case which is very interesting to watch out for in the news recently is the case of Bheki Cele. Bheki Cele is a National Commissioner of Police whose been accused of corruption. Bheki Cele was suspended by the president, Jacob Zuma after being accused of involved in an unlawful police lease agreements in 2011.
This case is still being investigated and the outcome of it will be issued in few months. This shows clearly that In South Africa has an issue of corrupt leaders which plays a huge role in an increase of violence crimes. People get away with many criminal acts because their in collaboration with police.
Lately, policeman Lieutenant General RichardMdluli, a former Head of Police Crime Intelligence in South Africa has been accused of corruption. The have been claims that Mdluli has received “partial and selective” treatment and implicated in the looting of R200m crime intelligence “slush fund”. It is said that Mdluli is believed to be trusted by President Jacob Zuma and was seen as the frontrunner to replace General Bheki Cele as police chief [signs of political affiliation].
Today I just read that Twelve police officers [Hawks] appeared in court .They face 13 charges that include murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.
My prevalent distress is the way these leaders have been appointed. Our President, Jacob Zuma is the one who appointed Bheki Cele; as a result, he took time to suspend him even though the corruption findings were released earlier. I think Zuma must be recalled. If we you remember correctly, Zuma was been investigated for corruption charges by the scorpions who were dissolve when he came to power and He appointment-ed the HAWKS. It is clearly unquestionable that Zuma has failed several times to act when he was expected and obliged by The Constitution to do so. Recently he even tried to fight the judiciary after the Judiciary performed a judicial review of the formation of the HAWKS which stipulates that, the HAWKS were appointed unconstitutionally because their not an independent entity and neither politically separated.
As a result, operation such as "Hands of our Judges" emerged because according to the Constitution, there should be separation of powers between the Judiciary, Parliament and The executive. Meaning that our President should not even try to interfere on how the Judges perform their duties. I think is time we eradicate him…it is clear that he is taking us nowhere. Don`t here me wrong, I am not saying he is the cause of crime but I am saying, He is not doing anything about it in time.
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