Crime prevention, a criminological perspective of Msinga Municipality in the uMzinyathi District, Dundee.

Abstract

Crime affects the quality of life for our communities. All South African are directly or indirectly affected by criminal acts and increasing violence that has become associated with these acts. Internationally it has found that crime and violence erodes social cohesion, limits mobility and erodes citizens’trust in the state to protect them (Crime Prevntion Management Course 2014:14). Reducing and building safer communities must be a priority in South Africa. In order to achieve this, crime prevention must be initiated at the community level. Safety is a core human right. It is necessary condition for human development, improving the quality of life and enhancing productivity. Early strategies regarding the provision of safety and security in the country centred on installing collaborative working relationships among key government departments and stakeholders. The holistic approach was articulated in the 1996 National Crime Prevention Strategy. This strategy was geared towards the development of integrated crosscutting programmes. The role played by community safety structures cannot be underestimated in terms of fighting crime. These structures involved inter alia: Community Policing Forums (CPF’s), Community Safety Forums (CSF’s), Community crime prevention association (CCPA), Volunteer social crime prevention programme (VSCPP), Ward Safety Committees, VD Safety teams and Street Committees. The National Development Plan recognises that crime and violence is not just a security issue, but it is multi-faceted. Addressing these cannot be seen as the mandate of the criminal justice system alone, but rather requires the involvement of all government departments, particurlarly those within the social and economic clusters. The National Development Plan recognises that crime and violence is not just a security issue, but has deep social and economic roots consequences (National Development Plan, Vision 2030). Social crime prevention means the prevention of social crime (that crime such as domestic violence, rape, murder, robbery, assaults and theft. Sometimes the concept also encapsulates the crime prevention programmes and approaches that are implemented by our society, organisations, communities and by people who are not part of the criminal justice system and its ultimate objective is to remove the reasons or cause of crime so that it does not take place. Over time, theorists and practitioners have realised that the most effective way to address crime is to prevent it from happening, rather than to respond to it once it has been committed. Social crime prevention addresses factors that influence an individual’s likelihood of committing a crime, such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, poor health care, and low educational performance (Crime Prevention Training Manual, 2013). The role-played by Amakhosi, izinduna, different government departments, criminal justice system and civil society in terms of fighting crime cannot be overemphasised and should be the priority of government at this day and age. The study will highlight the fundamental role of community safety structures such as CPF, CSF, CCPA, VD Safety Teams, Street Committees, etc, and meaningful contributions played by Amakhosi in the fight against crime in our communities. The combination of these community safety structures with the Criminal Justice System will add value in our endevours to prevnt crime crime. It must be remembered that these structures are not getting the attention and support they deserve from our government in the sense that they should be provided with sufficient resources such as stipend, offices, computers and motor vehicles. Some of these structures are not even highly recognised by memebers of the SAPS at the station level, and they are always called or referred to, the people of the CPF Coordinators. Sometimes the station commanders and senior memebers from the police do not even bother to attend CPF meetings at the police stations. Fundamentally, it remains the responsibility of the government to make sure that these community safety structures are continuously receive training, workshop in order to function and operate under the parameters of the law. It is our responsibility as law enforcement agencies to continuously capacitate them to avoid lawlessness and vigilantism in our communities. Violence and crime can change social networks and interactions and create mistrust, not only of the state, but also within communities. This will result to our communities more vulnerable to crime and subsequently perpetuates crime and violent crime (Crime Prevntion Management Course 2014:14).