Safety is every citizen’s basic human right

In a few days the country and Gauteng in particular will commemorate the 54th Anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre.

On that fateful day, March 21, 1960, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the police station in the township to protest against the pass laws. The apartheid police opened fire on the crowd, killing 69 people and injuring scores of them.

Since the advent of democracy, this historic day has become a milestone in the South African calendar, in honour of the men and women who selflessly dedicated their lives to the freedom we all enjoy today.

As highlighted as this may be, let us also bear in mind that there are other basic human rights that are equally important. Chapter 2 (12) c & d of our constitution clearly states that everyone has the right to be free from all forms of violence from either public or non-public sources, not to be tortured in any way.

One then asks what makes criminals think that their above the law? Could it be that society has perpetuated a stereotype of glorifying wrongdoers? Are they (criminals) even aware that by committing crime and acts of abuse they are infringing on others’ constitutional rights?

All forms of crime continue to bring misery to our families and often undermine our democracy. More people still don’t fully enjoy the fruits of democracy because they are subjected to terrorism and the trauma of being a witness or a victim of crime that only instill fear in them and perpetuate levels of danger. This happens at their homes, on the streets, playgrounds and in schools, to name a few.

Reading papers and watching news is frightening because every second a woman, girl child or a brother is murdered or sexually molested. Funny enough these criminals that we hear of every single day do not fall from the sky, they are certainly not aliens. We protect them as they are often our brothers, fathers and uncles, and we hide them from authorities all in the name of who will look after us as he/she is a breadwinner. We glorified their lifestyle and yet we only react when we fall victims to crime.

No one can tell a better story of our neighbourhoods than us. We know all those that commit these heinous acts, but we’ve decided to fold our arms. No crime is too small to report. Let us all make our country a safer place by rooting out crime in our communities and by participating actively in community safety structures such as Community Safety Forums, street and ward committees, and join the patroller movement (CPF’s). Let us also work closely with law enforcement and let us stop creating a market for crime by buying stolen goods.

Busi Kheswa, Gauteng Community Safety