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South African police focus on drop in violent crime, but robberies up
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 07 - 12 - 2007


Police focused on a drop
in murder and rape in their latest crime statistics, but acknowledged an increase in robberies was troubling, according to AP.
The figures released Thursday were for a six-month period,
departing from the tradition of releasing results only
annually after the business community pressed for more
frequent reporting.
The report came only days before President Thabo Mbeki was
to face what was expected to be a restive conference of his
African National Congress, which already has signaled
impatience with his leadership. Crime is one of the areas
on which he is on the defensive.
«It is a critical matter. We have to attend to this
matter of crime,» Mbeki said earlier this week in a rare
interview, during which he also took call-in questions from
listeners, broadcast by the state broadcaster. Mbeki's
rival, Jacob Zuma, was expected to wrest party leadership
in a vote at the weekend conference, and two callers
pressed Mbeki to just drop out of the race.
Zuma would be in line to run for the country's presidency
_ and likely win, given the ANC's strength _ if he wins the
party leadership. Mbeki is prevented from constitutional
term limits from running again for president of the
country, but could use the party leadership to push his
candidate _ and squelch Zuma.
The two men differ in style, with Mbeki seen as coolly
cerebral and the populist Zuma appealing to the party's
left wing. On substance, Zuma has in recent weeks tried to
court the business community, indicating he would not veer
too far from the free market policies of Mbeki that are
credited with boosting growth, if not quickly translating
into alleviating poverty.
While the business community has lauded Mbeki's economic
policies, it has repeatedly accused him of doing too little
to stop crime. This has not been helped by allegations that
Mbeki has been protecting the national police commissioner
Jackie Selebi, a close ally, from arrest on charges of
corruption, fraud and racketeering.
Mbeki suspended the head of the national prosecuting
authority, Vusi Pikoli, in September soon after he had
obtained a warrant for Selebi's arrest. The warrant was
withdrawn. Selebi, who was not present at the announcement
of the new crime statistics, has repeatedly denied any
wrongdoing.
According to the latest statistics, murders dropped 5.7
percent from 9,464 from April to September 2006 to 8,925
for the same period this year. Rape fell 2.6 percent from
23,507 reported cases to 22,887.
However, of concern is the 53.3 percent spike in the
number of trucks being hijacked and a 29.3 percent increase
in robberies at business premises that Thursday's figures
revealed. House robberies went up 7 percent, making home
and the workplace the most dangerous places for South
Africans to be.
«These phenomena touch the very essence of personal
privacy and security. It also creates an international
image of South Africa which is not conducive to investment
and tourism,» a report released with the statistics said.
South Africa, which has among the highest murder and rape
rates in the world, has gained an international reputation
as a violent society _ something the government is keen to
counter, especially ahead of hosting the 2010 World Cup
soccer tournament.
Thursday, bail was denied for the two men accused of
murdering former Austrian footballer Peter Burgstaller. The
Nov. 23 robbing and shooting of Burgstaller on a golf
course near Durban coincided with the preliminary draw for
the World Cup. A new hearing was set Jan. 23 in the robbery
and murder case against Thokozisi Msani, 25, and his
21-year-old brother Simo Msani.


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