By Thokozani Mtshali
The African National Congress wants the government to change gear in handling crime, calling for a more "vigorous" and "comprehensive" response to the problem.
This follows the party's three-day lekgotla in Johannesburg.
The position is in stark contrast to President Thabo Mbeki's assertion in a television interview last week that it was only a perception that crime was spiralling out of control.
The lekgotla instead reiterated the position outlined in the party's January 8 statement that it was "critically important, in the interest of safety and security... that both the ANC and the government" should have a practical and specific response to crime.
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Party spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said on Monday that, based on a concrete understanding of the reality of crime, the ruling party agreed that the government's response should also be "based on a clear understanding of the causes of crime and the various forms it takes across society".
"The response needs to be well considered, effectively co-ordinated and comprehensive," Ngonyama said.
He said the party also intended to get its lower structures across the country to engage communities to support the police and work with law enforcement agencies against criminals.
He downplayed suggestions, however, that the lekgotla's diagnosis of the crime problem was different from that of the president, saying this was the unnecessary "politicking about the issue of crime which consequently shifted attention from the criminals".
But this indicates that crime, along with other pertinent issues such as the eradication of poverty, is set to remain on top of the government's agenda this year.
Most issues that form part of the key resolutions of the ANC lekgotla also form the basis of a similar gathering of the cabinet that will map out the government's programme for the year.
The cabinet lekgotla, which was due to begin in Pretoria today, also forms the basis for Mbeki's state-of-the-nation address next month.
Poverty is also expected to feature as a key element of the cabinet lekgotla and Mbeki's speech.
According to Ngonyama, the ANC lekgotla at the weekend highlighted a number of areas, such as social security, housing and health, as well as the provision of basic services, that needed urgent attention at today's cabinet gathering.
Without giving much detail, Ngonyama said the ANC lekgotla "focused on some of the steps needed to improve the quality of service provision in all areas and significantly improve the ability of (people) to access such services".
As part of its primary tasks for the year, the ANC also wants to establish what it calls a "broad front for development", bringing various organisations and sectors together in the bid to fight poverty and promote social development.
Ngonyama downplayed questions on how such a front, styled on the Mass Democratic Movement of the 1980s, would hold together, given the political differences between the ANC and its alliance partners, the South African Communist Party and Cosatu.
He said the three alliance partners could "rise above the current differences and challenges" they faced.
Ngonyama added that the provision of a basic income grant to help the unemployed was discussed at the ANC lekgotla, but did not form part of the final decisions to be forwarded for further discussion by the government.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Star on January 23, 2007
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