Partners in crime

By George Annandale (News24 user)

My gripe today is with ruthless self-serving people that are prepared to justify violence in South Africa under the guise of positivism.

People like John Robbie and others who distorts fact from a report to perpetuate half-truths in order to turn a very gloomy situation into something positive, thus making them accomplices to every crime committed in South Africa.

A few months ago, a crime statistic, which served the government and ANC's purpose, was widely quoted. According to the commentator (police or minister I cannot remember), in a large percentage of violent crimes, the victim knew the attacker. Using this statistic, they came to the "obvious and logical" conclusion that we are not victims of ordinary crime; we are victims of domestic crime.

The question that resulted in the determination of this statistic was probably; "Did you know or recognise the attacker?-Yes or No".

Now, if I the petrol attendant from the petrol station up the street, decided to come to my house, burgle and assault me, my answer will be yes, because I see him every week when he fills my car with fuel, making this a domestic crime.

If my gardener's half-crazed son, who I met once when he came to collect his father's salary, in a fit of drug-induced rage comes into my house and beats me half to death with a shovel, it will be classified as a domestic incident.

Should a tourist secure a driver, for a three day stay in South Africa, be killed and robbed by said driver it will be classified as domestic violence because this stranger to our shores were acquainted with the murderer.

Robbie in his infinite wisdom and need to find the positive has latched onto this and wants to tell us that because of this distorted fact, South Africa is perfectly safe for the thousands of tourists.

I have sent him a number of SMS messages, pointing out the likely truth behind his interpretation, yet he hasn't wavered in his stance, in fact, he prefers to ignore my points. I cannot help thinking that his failure to consider the alternative, and probably accurate, interpretation is part of concerted effort by Danny Jordaan and SA Tourism to pacify foreigners. I will not be surprised to hear that John receives a "commission" for his excellent PR work in this regard.

The facts remain, we are in the top five countries in the world when it comes to high crime rate and we have an ineffectual police and justice system resulting in less than 10% of al perpetrators of crime ever convicted.

We have ministers telling us if we do not like the high crime rate, we should emigrate. Our new minister of police tells us that crime statistics is police business and has nothing to do with the media and citizenry.

Our past president asserted that crime in South Africa was non-existent and there were only perceptions of crime. Our new president told Al Jazeera that crime is not that bad in South Africa, it is only the way the media reports it that makes it sound bad.

Fortunately we now have loyal journalists, like Robbie, who are prepared to break ranks and report "the truth according to government and the ANC".

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Related:

The case for optimism by Dale Williams (Thoughtleader) also author of South Africa: Best place for kids to grow up

Even if I’m completely wrong.

If there had been two ways that something could work out and I have chosen the incorrect one.

If I had been smoking my socks and there is no validity in what I thought would happen.

If it is now entirely clear that I have been unrealistic and out of touch with the reality of how things work.

I believed something better would happen than it did. My judgment failed me and left me choosing a fantasy rather than seeing the harsh reality of the situation.

When my optimistic view on the issue, which I have held on to, is proven out of touch with what has happened. When my optimistic view has been held up for all its faults.

When, on that day, I am devastated by the consequences of choosing the wrong option and have left dealing with how to cope with a scenario I had not anticipated.

On that day, the day that I am wrong, I will say, “You were right, I was wrong”.

Between today and then, however, I will have been happier, slept better, held more hope and had more fun, than the pessimist.