By Leila Samodien
Rapid urbanisation is one of the main contributors towards the Western Cape's high levels of crime with the province's murder, aggravated robbery and residential burglary rates increasing the most out of all the provinces in the past 14 years, an Institute for Security Studies (ISS) researcher has said.
Senior researcher for the ISS's crime, justice and politics programme Johan Burger said that over the past couple of years, there had been a massive influx of people into the province from other parts of the country.
This meant more people were without jobs and basic services, which in turn had an impact on crime levels.
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Burger was reacting to recent research released by the South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR).
In a statement, the SAIRR suggested that the high incidence of crime, particularly murder and robbery, were linked to the province's wealth.
The Western Cape has the highest murder and robbery (business and residential) rates in the country.
In contrast, the province was found to be one of the wealthiest, contributing an impressive 14.5 percent to the economy's gross domestic product in 2007.
It also had a comparatively high ratio of police officers per person, with one police officer for every 300 people.
The SAIRR published details of the research in its Fast Facts newsletter.
"There seems to be a connection between the crime experienced by each province and the average income of the households living in that province," the newsletter said.
"The province with the highest average annual household income, the Western Cape, had the worst rates for murder, business burglary, residential burglary at a respective 59, 220 and 876 per 100 000 people. Between 1994 and 2008, the Western Cape's murder, aggravated robbery, and residential burglary rates increased the most out of all the provinces."
The province had an average household income of R147 648 in 2007.
Burger said drug and alcohol abuse were the most common contributors to crime in the province. However, rapid urbanisation was now also a major factor.
"You're having a massive influx of people when there is no infrastructure or services to provide for them because the government doesn't expect such numbers.
"When you couple that with poverty and unemployment, it creates a social condition that contributes to alcohol and drug abuse," he said.
People became desperate because of their living circumstance, Burger said. Some turned to alcohol and drugs, which fuelled crime; while a few others turned to crime to feed their families.
"I'm by no means saying that everybody turns to crime, but it does happen often in those circumstances," he said.
Burger explained the ISS was busy researching this topic, along with other aspects that determined the risk of crime.
He said he hoped the research would provide a springboard for follow-up research, such as field research and similar research with a more specific focus.
- This article was originally published on page 13 of Saturday Argus on July 04, 2009
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