Crime prevention programmes at the lower level of government in South Africa

Abstract

This article examines the causes of high rates of crime in South Africa, and the role of local government and communities in combating crime. It argues that while inequalities among South African communities contribute greatly to the rise of crime, its actual causes can be traced back to the period of apartheid where criminal elements were tolerated in the name of fighting the apartheid system. This was compounded by the emergence of the lost generation of young South Africans who devoted their lives to the liberation struggle in the fight against inferior Bantu education which was designed for black people in South Africa. In post apartheid South Africa, this generation of young men and women were unemployable owing to a lack of education and skills. Lastly, inefficient policing and the adoption of the liberal Constitution which outlawed capital punishment, also have contributed to high rates of crime in South Africa. The article argues that crime prevention could be effective if the law enforcement bodies of the government established partnerships with the communities to flush out criminals, because most criminals reside in the very same communities as their victims.