Race, class and violent crime in South Africa: Dispelling the ‘Huntley thesis’

Gavin Silber,Nathan Geffen

doi:10.17159/2413-3108/2009/v0i30a897

Abstract

Brandon Huntley was granted asylum in Canada earlier this year based on the argument that whites are disproportionately affected by crime in South Africa. The decision was generally condemned, but it did receive support from various groups and individuals including Afriforum, the Freedom Front and James Myburgh (editor of Politicsweb). In this article we show the flaws in Huntley's argument by presenting evidence from several sources that demonstrate that black and poor people are disproportionately the victims of violent crime in South Africa. We are concerned that painting whites as the primary victims of South Africa's social ills is unproductive, ungenerous and potentially hampers the appropriate distribution of resources to alleviate crime. Furthermore, in order to move the debate on crime in South Africa into a more productive direction, we also describe the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) – a relatively new community based organisation that aims to mobilise communities around improving safety and security for all in South Africa, regardless of race or income. Campaigning for novel pragmatic and coordinated community and government responses to the broader lack of safety and security in the country, the SJC focuses on the introduction and development of basic infrastructure and services as a means of reducing crime.

Highlights

WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE SAFER COMMUNITIESThe use of populist rhetoric and unsubstantiated claims when addressing the issue of crime – or any other social issue, for that matter – is dangerous and irresponsible
Everyone in South Africa is affected by crime, and the consequent sense of insecurity that comes with living in fear
In this article we show the flaws in Huntley's argument by presenting evidence from several sources that demonstrate that black and poor people are disproportionately the victims of violent crime in South Africa

Summary

WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE SAFER COMMUNITIES

The use of populist rhetoric and unsubstantiated claims when addressing the issue of crime – or any other social issue, for that matter – is dangerous and irresponsible It fosters a deep fear and mistrust along class and racial lines and ignores the legacy left by apartheid. SA Crime Quarterly no 30 December 2009 beaten and raped walking to the toilet or fetching water from taps not more than 50 metres from their homes, children are routinely injured or killed by cars and taxis that hurtle through their backyards, alcohol abuse is rife, illness and death from waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea are common, houses are frequently lost to fire and flooding, and contact crime is ever present These burdens pervade every crevice of a township that is overwhelmingly black and poor,[12] but are often accepted as being part of everyday life. Our arguments against Myburgh's articulation of what we have called the Huntley thesis follow below

GAUGING THE DISTRIBUTION OF CRIME

Findings

CONCLUSION