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SA crime worries Kenya
20/07/2007 21:11 - (SA)
Alicestine October, Beeld
Johannesburg - Crime in South Africa was discussed in the Kenyan parliament this week.
The Kenyan deputy minister of foreign affairs warned the country's citizens against South Africa, as they were apparently too easily targeted by criminals, reported the newspaper The Nation on Thursday.
But on Friday, the deputy minister changed his tune and said his comments made in parliament were taken out of comments by the media.
The Nation said Moses Wetang'ula told Kenyans in parliament to avoid night flights to SA.
He apparently said crime levels in South Africa were very high.
"We are aware of attacks that happen at night on the way from the airport.
'Crime has no borders'
"And we know that these are not only on Kenyans, but also on people from other nationalities and South Africans themselves," he apparently said.
"It is generally known that Africans from certain parts of the continent who visit SA are chosen as targets, because they usually have large amounts of cash on them as they enter the country because they don't use credit cards," said Tony (Gab) Msimanga, the South African High Commissioner in Kenya.
It was apparently also known that Africans usually travelled alone and not in tour groups.
This made most of them easy targets.
The Nation reported this week that 12 Kenyans had been victims of crime.
One of them was an MP, Nyiva Mwendwa.
Wetang'ula however gave assurances that the Kenyan High Commissioner in South Africa would now ensure that Kenyans were safe.
This came after MP Kirugi M'Mukindia earlier called for an investigation into the matter.
Several MPs from different African countries were apparently attacked while attending the Pan African Parliamentary session in Midrand earlier this year.
President of parliament, Dr Gertude Mongella, after the parliamentary session, urged South Africa to do more to ensure the safety of MPs.
Wetang'ula said his government was worried about the increasing attacks on its citizens.
Msimanga said he thought it was ironic that Kenyans spoke about crime in SA while South Africans were also victims of crime in Kenya.
Msimanga said the comments had been taken out of context to make it seem as if Kenya was sending a travel warning to its citizens.
"Both governments are doing their best to tackle crime in their respective countries."
"But crime does not have borders."
- Beeld
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