Cape Town — South African President Thabo Mbeki has responded to a national outcry over crime by spelling out a range of steps to combat it, including the expansion of the national police force and the strengthening of the country's courts.
Mbeki was delivering his principal annual address to the country at the opening of the 2007 session of Parliament in Cape Town.
Linking the issue to the major theme of his address, Mbeki said South Africa could not "erase that which is ugly and repulsive [in society], and claim the happiness that comes with freedom, if communities live in fear, closeted behind walls and barbed wire, ever anxious in their houses, on the streets and on our roads, unable freely to enjoy our public spaces.
"Obviously, we must continue and further intensify the struggle against crime."
He did not refer to the angry public debate reflected in the country's media since the fallout earlier this week between those in the white-dominated business establishment whose instinct is to confront the government over crime, and those who prefer behind-the-scenes co-operation. Neither did he deal with the issue in the emotional terms his critics have been demanding.
In matter-of-fact tones, he told Parliament the government had already exceeded its target of expanding the police force to more than 152,000 personnel, and had improved training. But it recognised that this had not made people feel more secure:
"While we have reduced the incidence of most contact crimes, the annual reduction rate… [in] such categories as robbery, assault and murder is still below the seven to ten percent that we had targeted. And the abuse of women and children continues at an unacceptable level…
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"What is required is effective organisation, mobilisation and leadership of the mass of law-enforcement, intelligence and corrections officers, and functionaries of the justice system. The overwhelming majority of these public servants have proven over and over again in actual practice that they are prepared to put their lives on the line and to sacrifice even the little quality time they could have with their families, in defence of our freedom and our security."
He said police numbers would be boosted to 180,000, their pay would be increased, forensic laboratories would be modernised, and the efficiency of other government departments – including those handling the courts, intelligence, border control and prisons – would be improved.
The outcry in recent weeks has come from those with access to the media: South Africa's educated and professional elite – mostly whites who enjoyed more police protection than blacks under apartheid. Mbeki pointedly referred to the "cold reality" that "the overwhelming majority of violent crimes against the person occur in the most socio-economically deprived areas of our country…"
He said cooperation between police and communities was essential to the fight against crime, and welcomed the involvement of business and religious leaders in partnerships with the government.
