Fifteen years ago who would ever have thought that crime would get so bad in a democratic South Africa that a DA plan to combat it made sense?

Fifteen years ago who would ever have thought that crime would get so bad in a democratic South Africa that a DA plan to combat it made sense?

Helen Zille's proposal to boost the ANC's planned police force of 190000 officers by 60000 and 30000 detectives will cost a bundle that will have to be taken from other programmes.

But things are so bad that maybe we cannot afford to ignore the DA proposal.

Forget about costs to business, threats to tourism and gun-shy potential foreign investors who stay away in droves. Even our national image is not the main issue.

We are most concerned about the quality of life for the average citizen, most likely living in a township.

These are the people worst affected by crime and the spiralling sense that they and their government can do nothing about it.

Let the politicians natter on about the socioeconomic causes of this national crisis. Let them even try to do something about these factors.

But the reality we face each day of our lives demands tough action now for the sake of the very voters who put the ANC in power.

And despite protestations to the contrary it's becoming ever more clear that our government can no longer afford to let crime go out of control.

Listen to fresh ideas, wherever they come from.