Criminality grips South Africa as election nears

The death of professional football player Luke Fleurs in a car theft in Johannesburg highlights the surge of criminality in South Africa beyond control, casting a shadow on the failure of ruling ANC elites bracing for tough presidential elections.

South Africa is about to lose the war on criminality as its official statistics reported the highest murder per capita rate in 2023 at 45 per 100,000, up 50% compared to 2012 levels.

Theft, kidnapping and random shooting have become commonplace in a country plagued by the corruption of its ruling elites.

In 2023, Pretoria (South Africa) ranked first in the crime index among African cities, with a rating of roughly 82 index points. The five most dangerous areas on the continent were South African cities, Statista said on its website.

Just a day ago, a news that may sound shocking in other normal countries looks so common in crime-plagued South Africa. The BBC reported a university student has been killed and another seriously injured by stray bullets as gunmen shot dead two men in a parked car on a busy street near the centre of the South African city of Johannesburg.

According to a 2022 risk assessment of South Africa, conducted by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime, the figures for kidnapping for ransom and extortion could be much higher than what is reported to the police.

Racial crime is also on the surge pushing many whites to leave the country as top ruling party leaders condone “killing the Boer” in their political gatherings.

Socio-economic elements, such as poverty, unemployment and inadequate living conditions, underpin violence, mainly for younger men.