Murder: Coloureds more at risk

2004-05-25 09:33

Elsabé Brits

Cape Town - Coloured people more often fall victim to murder than any other group, even though they are in the minority.

Their chance to be murdered is also double that of any other group, a study by the Institute for Security Studies has found.

The study also found that the murder rate among coloureds has been much higher than another other group since 1938.

The murder rate for the country is 48 out of every 100 00 people. For every 100 000 people, 106 coloureds, 41 blacks, 30 whites and 27 Indians die. The majority of coloured people live in the Western and Northern Cape.

Coloured people make up only 9% of the population, but 19% of prisoners are coloured.

Unemployment among coloureds has risen by 35% since 1994. Among the black population, unemployment has risen by only 19%.

For more than two decades, knives and other sharp objects were used as murder weapons. Prior to 1990, firearms were used in only 5% of murders committed by coloured people. According to the latest figures, guns were used in up to 41% of murders committed by coloureds.

The ISS says this shift is of concern, because the use of firearms leads to more deaths. Although the use of firearms increased among all ethnic groups, the increase was more visible in the coloured community.

According to the report, "these people live on the outer edges of the community and make their own rules of conduct.

"These subcultures regard violence as normal and are more willing to use violence."

Alcohol abuse aggravates the problem. Research has shown that people who use violence and victims of violent crimes usually have a high blood alcohol level.

In 68% of these cases, coloureds had alcohol in their blood when they died of an unnatural cause, while the average figure was 50%.

- Die Burger