'Admit SA has a crime problem'
2006-06-02 21:14
Bloemfontein - The country's constitution enshrined people's right to complain about crime, Free State Agriculture reacted on Friday to remarks about "whingers" by Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula in his budget vote.
"They can continue to whinge until they're blue in the face... be as negative as they want to, or they can simply leave this country so that all of the peace-loving South Africans, good South African people who want to make this a successful country, can continue with their work," Nqakula told Parliament during debate on his department's budget vote on Thursday.
It was not clear who he was referring to.
Nqakula's statement was "absolute and utterly" unacceptable, especially while farmers were being attacked at an alarming rate, said Free State Agriculture president Louw Steytler.
"The politicians should, instead of criticising those people that are concerned, take their concerns to heart," he said. "I will not leave my country."
Calls for apology
Nqakula should admit that South Africa had a huge problem with crime, Steytler added, saying organised agriculture was prepared to work with the government to address crime in rural areas.
The Democratic Alliance has called on Nqakula to apologise for his remark.
"The minister... must apologise to South Africans concerned about the high crime rate for labelling them 'constant moaners' and suggesting that they should leave the country," said DA spokesperson Roy Jankielsohn.
Nqakula was clearly out of touch with the feelings of ordinary South Africans, "perhaps because he rarely visits victims of crime and is protected by VIP security," he said.
South Africans - black and white - were angry about the high crime rate and felt that the state was not protecting them.
Instead of berating citizens, Nqakula should be taking action to allay their fears.
Government has lost touch
"The people of South Africa deserve an apology from the minister and an undertaking that he will put all his efforts into tackling crime," Jankielsohn said.
Federal Alliance leader Louis Luyt said Nqakula's remarks reflected ignorance and insensitivity about South African's fears and worries.
"When 50 people are murdered every day and concerned citizens want the minister ... to address this problem, his only reaction in Parliament is to call these people moaners," said Luyt.
"It is clear that the government has totally lost touch with reality."
AfriForum's Come Home Campaign advised Nqakula to examine his and his department's inability to combat crime effectively, rather than tell South Africans who complained about crime to leave the country.
Spokesperson Alana Bailey said it was inapt for Nqakula to target the messengers, instead of paying attention to the message that the current crime rate was unacceptable.
- SAPA