Statistics do help the government grapple with crime. But total reliance on them, without considering complaints, makes the president and his subordinates - Security Minister Charles Nqakula and Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi - unaffected observers.

Statistics do help the government grapple with crime. But total reliance on them, without considering complaints, makes the president and his subordinates - Security Minister Charles Nqakula and Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi - unaffected observers.

President Thabo Mbeki's comments about crime, and his not acting against Nqakula and Selebi for their inaction, suggests comradeship and power preservation is more important than dealing with people's concerns.

Even if he is given inaccurate statistics and cooked reports, which I suspect he is, Selebi and Nqakula's irresponsible comments should irk him. I wonder if Mbeki understands the turmoil crime is causing?

Fusi Mutoung, Johannesburg