Crime in SA - part 1

Pre 94? I doubt any one source could provide reliable information to categorically state there was more violence then than after. This country was several countries in one with the State as well as several Bantustans running their own police, armed forces and civil service. (Incidentally one of them, Republic of Bophuthatswana, once invaded Botswana just to show they were more powerful than their neighbour)

A good source I found is http://www.iss.co.za/CJM/stats0904/index.htm
Many commenting from outside this country may not always understanding realities of the apartheid era. Considering that white areas within the state were super-sanitised crime, the kind you hear (drive by shooting, carjacking) about today, was unheard of there. What they had instead were "insurgents" (ala Iraq) with bombings etc. There was definately alot of crime in Bantustans but hardly in "sanitised white areas".

Put simply, with segregation, crime stats were different for the different race groups and the fact that SA is a different country right now means that there are no barriers to osmotic movement of criminals. For whites to "perceive" themselves as being under siege is understandable.

The best online resource I know of that captures these differences is http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/ Of course visiting the museum in person greatly enhances the experience.

Crime is a problem, has always been and at the rate at which things are going, will be for a long time to come. And as I explained, past and current social realisties are very different and in my opinion is all about perception.

Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula a few days ago got very agitated in Parliament and told off those who complained about crime stating they were unpatriotic moaners. "They can continue to whinge until they're blue in the face, be as negative as they want to, or
they can simply leave this country so that all of the peace-loving South Africans, good South African people who want to make this a successful country, can continue with their work."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/southafrica/story/0,,1802180,00.html

PS My old cheap car was broken into 3 times (twice at 3am in the morning) over the course of the last 2 yrs. Eventually it was stolen in broad daylight outside my boss' house (which is in a previously "white area") and even though it had a tracking device which was activated within 20 min of the theft, it was never recovered.