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Crime continues to plague SA

South Africa's crime fighting heroes, the SAPS, have been on the losing end of a tireless campaign to stamp out crime. In spite of numerous attempts to overhaul the SAPS, the war on crime is not being won.

South Africa's crime fighting heroes, the SAPS, have been on the losing end of a tireless campaign to stamp out crime. In spite of numerous attempts to overhaul the SAPS, the war on crime is not being won.

The SAPS say crime is on the decrease, but the public is not so easily assuaged. Crime continues to plague South Africans daily. The levels of violent crime may not be as high as in 1998, but should we be complacent about current trends - methinks not.

It doesn't help that the already stretched ranks of the SAPS are ill-equipped to tackle criminal syndicates and if we factor internal corruption into the equation, it is a bleak picture indeed.

There are still police officers unable to effectively open a case file. They have such difficulty spelling and stringing words together that it is embarrassing to call them our protectors.

The entire SAPS can't be tarred with the same brush, however, because some are involved in good work.

A leading fast food franchise announced that it will donate 8 000 meal tickets to police officers working the New Year's Eve shift in Joburg. That is a noble gesture.

The SAPS must realise it is South Africans they are sworn to serve. We are their employers and we are responsible for their remuneration.

Brett Chatz, Houghton

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