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Carl's poetry and anarchy on the streets not the answer
I AM still trying to work out how removing my vehicle number plates and driving around illegally is likely to put sufficient pressure on the government to call a referendum on the death penalty. After all, they haven't been swayed by logical argument, horrendous crime statistics or even a plea from the head of the Zionist Christian Church, so why would having no number plates do the trick? The idea of encouraging people to break the law to draw the government's attention to the shocking crime statistics is the "brainchild" of one Visser du Plessis, a man who obviously has too much time on his hands. The campaign is allegedly backed by celebrities like Gary Player, Naas Botha and assorted media nondescripts who have presumably shed their number plates for a good cause and are waiting to be flagged down by one of those nice men in brown uniforms. They will then pay their admission of guilt fines, appear in the Sunday Times and screw their number plates back on until the next publicity stunt. Of course, for the traffic cops this is hog heaven. If two-million people are going to drive without number plates, just think what this will do for their productivity bonuses at the end of the year. Plus it makes a pleasant change from risking death by checking whether taxi drivers have valid licences. But why stop at number plates, I ask? After all, if you are going to break the law to ensure that we have a crime-free society, why not poison geese at Zoo Lake or drop tins of red paint onto the roofs of politician's cars from low-flying planes? If that doesn't work, why not set fire to public buildings or blow up shopping centres? You see Mr du Plessis, not everybody may have your admirable self-restraint, and once you have persuaded people to break a simple law in a notoriously undisciplined society such as ours you may find things getting hopelessly out of control. THERE are plenty of countries where breaking the law is seen as a just means to an end and they are not particularly pleasant places. While many people may share your obvious frustration with the level of crime, very few would suggest that the road to anarchy you are advocating is the solution.
The flagging spirits of the crime weary would not have been helped by the news that Police Commissioner George Fivaz and Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi are throwing their toys at each other. Neither of them have enviable jobs and the fact that they don't seem to be making much headway in the battle against crime has probably added to the tension. Part of the problem has been the government's limp-wristed attitude to crime since they came to power. The government is of the opinion that violent criminals should not be tipped down empty mine shafts, as has been suggested, but that they suffer from a temporary ailment which can be cured if Carl Niehaus reads poetry to them. Anyone who mentions the appalling crime rate is accused of being negative and creating a bad impression of South Africa. In short, the law favours the criminal above the victim. If a criminal is shot while committing a crime he will be airlifted to a private clinic to be treated at the taxpayer's expense. Once he has fully recovered, he will almost certainly be given bail and will be on the streets ready to commit another crime. THE chances of being detected, let alone given a prison sentence, are so remote that, from a risk-reward point of view, crime certainly does pay. An injured crime victim on the other hand just becomes another government statistic and foots his own medical bills. Adding to Fivaz's woes is the fact that he is still trying to root out corruption within the police force, something he has to do before he can tackle law enforcement successfully. A poorly trained and demotivated police force which cannot even afford fuel for its patrol cars is not likely to inspire public confidence, but the resignation of a frustrated police commissioner could be disastrous for international confidence. If we continue to treat our police like dirt, denying them realistic salaries, proper training and modern equipment, then we must expect to live in a society where the criminal will always be the winner.
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