We need to forsake delusional tags of a peaceful country in tackling crime

WHEN trying to cure yourself of alcoholism, the first step is to admit that you have a problem. You have to utter the words “I am an alcoholic”. Admission is the first step towards treatment and cure.

Jacob Zuma’s admonishment of the media recently, for the portrayal of South Africa as a “violent society” in the wake of the “xenophobic” attacks, is presidential denialism. By placing the blame for the violence at the door of the media, our leadership has once again sidestepped its responsibilities.

South Africa is a violent country. Our history is drenched in blood, yet we continually tout our “rainbow unity”, our “superior constitution” and our “peaceful transition” to democracy. Over 14 000 politically motivated deaths were recorded during the “peaceful transition”.

A smiling Mandela waved on Team SA in Barcelona, mere months after the Boipatong massacre in 1992, which saw 45 people killed.

According to a report on violence in South Africa by Rob McCafferty, 150 891 people were murdered between 1994 and 2000, our “golden age”, or as we like to remember them, the “Mandela years”. During the same era, there were 168 146 attempted murders. Interpol statistics for the same period, however, paint an even bleaker picture, claiming 287 292 deaths for the years 1995 to 1999 and for the year 2001 (no data was available for 2000). Thank God, we avoided a bloodbath!

The xenophobic violence thus points to deeper problems facing this country. It is doubtful whether it will cease even if every African foreigner is expatriated within a week. The “better life for all” was not really intended for everyone – only for the political elite. This much has become painfully clear over the past 21 years.

Two police commissioners (Selebi and Cele) were dismissed due to impropriety; and another appointed, whom, when questioned about her credentials, stated: “You don’t have to be a drunkard to run a shebeen (speakeasy).” Public officials who only serve and protect themselves.

On average, 45 to 46 people are killed and an average of 183 women are raped every day in Mzansi. Shrien Dewani saw fit to bring his new bride here because he knew of our murderous reputation. Oscar Pistorius even used the high crime rate in his defence arguments. In 1994, while the killing fields of Rwanda were being harvested, we were not looking. We were witnessing the birth of our own arrogance.

The 34 miners who were gunned down on August 16, 2012 did not even merit a moment of silence when the Springboks faced Argentina two days later (Rugby Championship, August 18, 2012). Schalk Burger received his Comeback of the Year award in Shanghai on April 15, 2015, yet he made no mention of the chaos in his home country, even though one of his teammates hails from Zimbabwe – a country whose progeny have been targeted in the attacks.

In 2011, the tiny community of Verdwaal was placed in the spotlight following the deaths of four children, who died while searching for food (IOL News, December 21, 2011: Tragedy spurs aid for Verdwaal).

There was no outrage regarding that story, instead, there was mass hysteria when the Springboks were bundled out of the IRB Rugby World Cup in their quarter-final clash against Australia. A total of 87 000 people signed a petition to get referee Bryce Lawrence banned from refereeing a rugby match again.

Our president then goes on the offensive by criticising the media, declaring that the violence is not reflective of our society. Why spend R250 million on security upgrades at Nkandla then?

South Africa’s private security industry outnumbers the police force by 292 206 members!

AfricaCheck.org security industry rankings are listed as follows:

India – (population: 1.2 billion) 7million private security personnel.

China – (1.3 billion) 5 million private security personnel.

Russia – (142.5 million) 800 000 private security personnel.

Brazil – (202 million) 570 000 private security personnel.

South Africa – (54 million) 487 000 private security personnel.

We are outraged because the xenophobic violence exposes us for who and what we are. We are a brutal nation, yet we keep it well hidden from the public eye. If it spills out of the townships into the spotlight, we feign shock and express outrage. A recent Santam television advert even pokes fun at crime in the country.

Maybe this is the wake-up call we need to kick the criminals out of our society, and I have some ideas about where we should start.

Fredericks is a lecturer in journalism and photojournalism at Walter Sisulu University