Whatshot
Through my eyes
Through my eyes
Date: 2016-09-09
It has been a tough week for me.
Really tough
Two brutal killings of people I knew. Burglaries gone wrong!
Theft at my own property stuff stolen, probably an inside job.
It is as if my rose tinted view of the world has been lifted, as if the veil of innocence has been removed and now the world is just a little bit darker.
Who can I trust Who is the thief that lives in my space
Everyone blames it on the economy. Yes we all know that our country is experiencing economic hardships. And with the financial hardships come dire consequences. Nobody is ever ready to loose everything.
Dire circumstances and financial adversity can turn people to crime, not all people but some of us just see no other option, maybe that is why general theft and drug-related crimes remain the biggest problems in the country, with over 340,000 and just under 260,000 reported crimes in those categories respectively.
Break-ins at residential properties are the third biggest crime in the country, with over a quarter of a million cases.
According to Africacheck.org, because of the time periods between reporting the data and the financial year it covers, SAPS crime data is often at least 6 months out of date. Africa Check also points out that uncertainty hovers over crime data as many crimes go unreported, and that there is widespread mistrust of the SAPS itself.
While trying to be positive, I just cannot overcome this horrible feeling of sadness. We are all victims of crime even if the crime is not committed against us. Knowing someone who has been affected by crime makes us all victims.
Knowing someone who is committing crime makes us even bigger victims because lets face it, we are powerless over their actions. Scared and vulnerable, weak and ineffective - victims of the circumstance.
Yesterday, I shared a story about Gary Mackay on Facebook, a 36 year old father of two precious girls and a fellow motoring journalist, Gary was gunned down in his home last Saturday night while trying to protect his family from vicious thieves.
One of my Polish uncles replied with a smiley face and a comment, "What a nice family."
Knowing he does not understand English and not understanding the brutal message in the Facebook post, I proceeded to inform him about the crime, which took place over the weekend at Westville.
He could not believe ithe messaged me later in outrage. "How can you live in a place where they murder people in their own home " He asked me.
There are 48 million of us living in fear in South Africa and it is not getting any better as the recent crime stats indicate and as the economy keeps sliding down the uncertain path of despair. What has the future in store for all of us peace loving and law abiding citizens
Sorry about my morbid post this week.
My heart goes out to all those affected by crime and violence. May you find a glimmer of hope in this madness!
I am not even going to bother calling on the politicians, my message is surely going to fall on deaf ears.
Keep safe everyone!