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Stop making crime risk free, and it will go away

The escalating crime rate has made South Africa very unsafe. It is frightening away tourists and potential investors.

The escalating crime rate has made South Africa very unsafe. It is frightening away tourists and potential investors.

Professor Themba Sono, president of the Alliance of Free Democrats, in his book, From poverty to property, Themba Sono's five steps to real transformation, says: "Until we succeed in creating a moral society, crime will continue to proliferate as long as it is profitable and relatively risk free."

He says the government must improve arrest and conviction rates and mete out punishment that fits the crime.

But with the state's policy, we are far from winning the war on crime. Gauteng MEC for community safety Firoz Cachalia rejected claims that the death penalty is a deterrent for crime. He said: "You can hang as many people as you like, you will not solve the problem, you will only make it worse."

South Africa is a morally sick society. This is compounded by the government failing to sort out the criminal justice system. When a judge sentences a murderer to life, the monster is eligible for parole in 10, 15 or 20 years.

The AFD wants a criminal code that will effectively and permanently remove all dangerous criminals from our society. We also want the criminal justice system overhauled.

Matome Malatji, AFD spokesman, Pretoria

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