Phumzile: Poverty = crime
2007-01-31 07:54
Cape Town - South Africa must end poverty
for millions and build moral values to help stop violent crime
and corruption, the country's deputy president Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Tuesday.
South Africa is Africa's biggest economy and has one of the
highest crime rates in the world, with armed robberies and other
crimes of violence continuing to shock a country preparing to
host the Soccer World Cup in 2010.
"The unacceptable numbers of South Africans that still live
in poverty and deprivation clearly is one of the problems
(contributing to crime)," Mlambo-Ngcuka said at a conference in
Cape Town.
In the latest incident, David Rattray, a renowned military
historian and friend of Britain's Prince Charles, was killed in
a robbery at his home.
The killing provoked an outcry from business and political
leaders, who bemoaned the violent crime plaguing South African
society despite official figures showing murder rates declining.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said it was essential to alleviate poverty and
unemployment for millions to help cut crime.
"Too many of our compatriots are unemployed and do not have
access to productive economic opportunity," she said, adding
sharing the wealth of the nation was a moral responsibility.
South Africa's economy has grown solidly in the past few
years, averaging nearly four percent annual expansion, but
unemployment remains high, officially estimated at 25.6%.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said moral decay had fuelled violent crime and
firm action should be taken against public servants found guilty
of corruption.
The police and armed forces should exhibit behaviour that
was exemplary and beyond reproach, she said.
"They should be encouraged to exhibit higher public service
ethos, higher public service spirit and public morality.
Anything less can be traumatising to society because our people
need standards," Mlambo-Ngcuka said.