Crime is worst on platteland – survey

Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo lashed out at people who spread the idea that Johannesburg is the crime capital of the world, saying that while ­Johannesburg has its share of crime, it isn’t the only city in the world facing this challenge.
Issue date 11 May 2007

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Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo lashed out at people who spread the idea that Johannesburg is the crime capital of the world, saying that while ­Johannesburg has its share of crime, it isn’t the only city in the world facing this challenge.
And he seems to be right on the money, although it is not only the cities that face the challenge. The Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention (CJCP) recently launched its Crime and Victimisation Mapping Tool which has revealed that SA’s rural areas are a lot more dangerous than big cities. According to the Sunday Times, this comes as a shock to many who always believed that it was in the cities that crime flourished.
But these statistics come as no surprise to agricultural organisation TAU SA. The organisation’s manager of rural security General Chris van Zyl said that they have always said crime is worse in the platteland. “If you take the crime ratio per 100 000 of the population, it puts everything in a very different light.” But he says it is not only the population density that plays a role. “You also need to look at the number of cases reported to the police. In the platteland the police are not always close, and they have less capacity to react to the crimes.” But while Van Zyl understands why the statistics show a higher prevalence of crime in the platteland, he says there is ­something he still doesn’t understand. “What I need an answer for is why the crimes in the platteland are of such a violent nature.” The CJCP’s new tool consists of computerised maps of SA, which show the findings of two years of statistics relating to crimes such as murder, house ­robbery and sexual assault of minors. It also ­contains data on economic inequality.
According to the map, the relatively unpopulated areas of the Western Cape such as Vredenburg, Graafwater and Klawer, as well as the tourist areas of Franschhoek, Robertsvlei and Groendal are considered dangerous. In the Northern Cape danger areas include Fraserburg, Kakamas, Keimoes and Griekwastad. Eastern Cape danger spots are Graaff Reinet, Joubertina, Patensie, Balfour, Vulindlela, Lady Grey, Jeffreys Bay and Port Alfred. In KZN, the highest crime statistics are found in the Midlands, including Ladysmith, Greytown and Colenso. In Mpumalanga, Kinross is seen as a danger zone, and in Limpopo the Mara police precinct has high incidences of murder and robbery.
The maps also show that in the areas of the greatest economic inequality, housebreakings are the most prevalent crime. Murders, rapes, assault and sexual violence against children tend to occur more readily in areas where there is economic equality. – Gwenda van Zyl
The Crime and Victimisation Mapping Tool is available on www.cjcp.org.za.