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Unfortunately, one thing you will hear about Johannesburg is the issue of crime. Yes, the crime rate here, and all across South Africa, is very high and in my discussions with people here, it seems to be somewhat unique in that it is often on the more vicious side. But I can’t just leave it at that so let me shift this a bit.

In Jo’burg shopping malls are EVERYWHERE and they are not small! Seriously, the malls here are ridiculously large (I believe the largest malls in the world are here). Billboards plaster the roadways, BMW and other high-end car dealerships are in abundance, and the trend is only growing. So, should it be a surprise that those that “have not” still possess the same commercially trained desires “to have”? And if you have a growing culture based on product consumption and little opportunity for the masses (“have nots”) to participate then what can one expect? Crime. This is not an excuse but a statement that the situation will not change unless, 1) the culture of consumption changes; 2) economic justice is extended to the majority. However, with President Mbeki, a neo-liberals wet dream, this western-bread consumer culture is to be the norm and I believe SA is in for some serious trouble. To me, it seems that the only way to contain this level of crime, under the current commercial paradigm, would be to create a whole new type of Apartheid based on class – this fits in to what many refer to as the global apartheid that is being developed by corporate globalization.

Keeping in mind that whites have only recently conceded their program of Apartheid there is some hope. Although, it won’t come easy. The fragileness of rebuilding South Africa opens the gates to opportunist neo-liberal agendas and the money that is brought in by these forces is hard to resist (even by the most conscientious person). So, the answers are not easy, nor are the struggles. But I believe it is groups like SisterLove that are working in the right direction.

On another note, you are probably more likely to be a party to a car accident than a crime. Check some recent headlines (from http://www.iol.co.za/index.php):

JOHANNESBURG

Tue, 26 Dec 2006

5400 caught speeding on Christmas

Taxi crashes into ambulance

Tue, 26 Dec 2006

A pregnant paramedic was injured on Monday morning when a minibus taxi drove into the front of an ambulance she was parking, ER 24 said…

Fatal bus crash driver caught drunk

Mon, 25 Dec 2006

The driver of a bus in which 12 people died — among them three children — and 34 were injured in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday was caught seven times over the legal alcohol limit last year, it has emerged…

JOHANNESBURG

Sat, 23 Dec 2006

Festive season death toll down

Fatalities on SA roads have decreased but it remains up to road users to ensure that the trend continues, the Department of Transport said on Friday… The death toll stands at 907, down from last years 1024 for the same period…

And then there are stories with a sense of justice in them:

JOHANNESBURG

Sun, 24 Dec 2006

Fleeing mugger hit by car

A handcuffed man was hit by a car and killed while running from security guards after allegedly snatching a bag in Germiston on Saturday, Ekurhuleni metro police said…

While the numbers are high that is no reason to stay away from South Africa. The South African people on a whole are extremely warm and friendly so, just watch yourself, be aware of your surroundings and don’t travel alone. This should be true where ever you travel.

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