I am driven by fear of crime

I FOUND myself questioning which of two elements – “rule of law” or “crime” – most shaped my life and that of my fellow citizens.

The following sequence of events prompted my dilemma.

Two weeks ago, I decided to prepare for the Sunfoil Cape Town Big Walk by walking the 3km stretch from my home in Walmer Estate to work in the CBD.

After the Big Walk, I decided to continue this ritual because I enjoyed pondering on the day ahead as I walked down Keizersgracht past the familiar District Six where I was born and which I left behind many years ago.

Ironically, the vacant land of my beloved District Six, earmarked for repatriation, has become the ideal vantage point from which criminals can observe their prey, pounce and then take cover, thus thwarting capture by the authorities.

A few days later, I am rethinking my decision after I discovered a box of medical supplies in the form of glucose intravenous drips strewn on the pavement the day after the Big Walk and, on Tuesday, encountered a woman being treated for an injury after she was attacked by a man who beat her over the head with a large stone.

The police were on the scene but had to rush to another location after a radio message diverted them to a nearby stabbing.

I have often heard people proclaim that they refuse to have their behaviour and lives influenced by criminals and thugs.

A good and brave stance I thought, but most of us are not prepared to risk our lives in order to assert our convictions.

Not withstanding religion, culture, attitude and personality which shapes behaviour, “rule of law” and “crime” are also key in informing social behaviour. These are the two elements I find myself considering.

I believe a case can be made for the argument that criminals are more instrumental in shaping social behaviour than “rule of law”.

We simply have to examine how many government departments are dedicated to combating crime.

Crime is omnipresent in our day-to-day lives. We raise our children not to speak to strangers. We barricade ourselves in our homes behind high walls and sophisticated burglar-proof systems.

I would argue that one’s status in society is determined by how successful you are at evading an attack.

Our most basic instinct to protect ourselves from elements such as the cold and natural predators has evolved into an intricate systematic approach of protecting ourselves from crime and criminals.

So every evening, I wait at a bus shelter for up to 45 minutes in anticipation of a 10-minute ride home on a stuffy bus with at least 30 other commuters, some on cellphones and others, with glazed eyes staring out of the window and a sense of sombreness hanging over them.

I have to concede that I would rather be walking home, but for the threat of inevitably becoming a crime statistic if I were to do so.

Now, every morning, I leave home for my 40-minute walk armed with sunblock, a can of pepper spray in hand and a vigilant attitude in anticipation of the unpredictable walk ahead.

In analysing the events of the past week, my conclusion is that my social behaviour, like that of most others is, in fact, predominantly motivated by the threat of crime, and not the “rule of law”.