Archive for the ‘Opinions’ Category

I do believe that all readers will go along with the idea that major crime, across all countries in the world, and with every type of policing authority, can only be solved and suspects bought to book on evidence of facts. The acquisition of fact could take some type of co-operation from the general public and a great deal of work from those policing authorities working on truthful proven information received. It just won’t help very much if information is provided as definite fact and later proved to be a figment of a vivid imagination or an attempt to gain the limelight. Read the rest of this entry »

to bridge the gap this season ….

I do believe that all readers will go along with the idea that major crime, across all countries in the world, and with every type of policing authority, can only be solved and suspects bought to book on evidence of facts. The acquisition of fact could take some type of co-operation from the general public and a great deal of work from those policing authorities working on truthful proven information received. It just won’t help very much if information is provided as definite fact and later proved to be a figment of a vivid imagination or an attempt to gain the limelight. Read the rest of this entry »

I regularly find myself wondering if suitable punishment is being metered out for some of the horrendous crimes that are being committed daily in this potentially idyllic country of ours. In my youth, this was admittedly many, many years ago, as a schoolboy who fairly regularly committed some schoolboy crimes that were viewed by my superiors as extremely wicked, I received corporal punishment. On one occasion the cane was even administered to my tender behind in front of my assembled classmates. Read the rest of this entry »

HEAD BURIED?

Let’s face it; crime is probably not a conversation subject of choice in your house, any more than it is in mine.  But having said that, we have to accept that crime is all around us and accept the need to take some necessary, and sometimes even very basic, precautions. However, we can’t undertake to solve the problem unless we have a good knowledge of the problem itself, and what we are facing.
I was recently advised of a situation where a group member refused to attend meetings because the subject of crime was addressed by speakers much too regularly. On doing a check it was found that there had been about five or six cases of crime, in various guises, being the chosen subject of discussion over a period of five years. I do believe that some people perhaps need to just look around them with their eyes wide open and listen when sincere advice is given. Read the rest of this entry »

Over a number of years I have been asked to give talks to groups of people who are concerned about the scourge of crime in our beautiful country – South Africa.  Initially I found that at question time I was inundated with both questions and statements blaming everyone from the United Nations to the local “Trainee” Constable or Police Reservists for the problems of crime that we face.  Seldom did I hear positive stories, or praise, directed at anyone.  On thinking about this I decided to change my tactics slightly.  At most of these talks I now start my talk by asking any member of the audience who “has never committed a crime” to raise their hand up high.  Initially a few tentative hands started on the trip skyward.  However, after I have pointed out that things like speeding, going through a red light, driving after having a couple of drinks, cheating slightly on a tax return and even treble parking when fetching your child from school are all treated as crimes and, in some cases, could result in injury or loss of life, the hands then quickly return to laps.  This idea has certainly prompted some thought from audiences and changed most of the comments and questioning into being a bit more positive.   Read the rest of this entry »

Whose problem is it anyway?  by Julian Foxton

I do love a good philosophical word game, so grab a coffee and join me for a round of “Whose Problem is it Anyway?”
If you Google the word ‘society’ you’ll find that it means “a group of people”. Without people there is no society. It is created by us.
By implication then, if we live in a functioning, healthy society, it is our success. We have created it to be successful. If we live in a poorly functioning, unhealthy society we have only ourselves to blame.  “Hold on a moment”, I hear you say, “South Africa’s problems have nothing to do with me. ‘They’ are the ones screwing things up!”
And here in lies the milk tart. We distance ourselves from problems in our society, but claim victories as our own.

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If you own and use either a computer or a cell phone it’s almost a racing certainty that at some stage you will have received “scam” messages.  Personally I use what I am given to believe are excellent ‘filters’ to do away with this usually rather obvious nuisance.  But these measures just don’t work and I still receive probably at least ten of these rather ridiculous messages each day. This indicates to me that the senders are regularly succeeding in obtaining full details from a sufficient number of “suckers’ to make it worth their while.
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An Opinion

I do hope that by the time you read this you will have enjoyed a crime free 2010 Festive Season and found that the break from the routines of work have left you refreshed and ready to face 2011.  It’s always been a rather disturbing fact that the celebration of any event, be it large or small, is inclined to distract us from the many things that should be, at least a part of, our regular mind-set.  We should know that with crime at the present levels we must never drop our awareness of our surroundings, but when in the festive mood of enjoying a moment of celebration, or for that matter one of distress, it’s often perfectly normal to lose that sense of a natural awareness.   Anything unusual or out of place should be questioned and, if a satisfactory explanation cannot be found  precautionary measures, such as driving off and leaving alone, should immediately be taken.
The criminal mind is such that he/she will always be on the lookout for an opportunity for easy pickings.  A gate left open, an open handbag carried in a shopping centre, expensive goods left in full view in an unattended vehicle, the distraction of a ringing cell phone answered or a car window left invitingly open at a stop street. I don’t believe that any self respecting criminal will go out of his/her way to find the unusually difficult opportunity, but will rather take the easier route.
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Is creating peace a viable option? 

“What a load of claptrap!” gurgled my Uncle Reggie whilst he slurped his Hansa and pointed threateningly at me with a stick of droe wors.

The occasion was Auntie Liz’s birthday party, but things had gone pear shaped pretty much from the word go.

It all began when Reggie overheard a conversation between me and an old cousin of ours named Simon (who oddly enough comes from Simonstown.)

As I do, I was explaining to Simon that crime – especially of the violent type – is often perpetrated by people who themselves have been abused or maltreated in some way. I suggested that if we are to create a peaceful South Africa, we will need to reach out to one another in small ways that help to heal the scars of the past.

Reggie’s ears were burning – he could barely contain himself.

Spurred on by Simon’s obvious approval, I shifted gear and went for broke; “Even dignifying people in simple ways like saying hello has a powerful effect on people’s psyche.”

Reggie could contain himself no longer: “Are you seriously asking me to believe that crime can be solved by being nice to one another? Is that your big solution to nearly 17000 murders every year? We must just somma make like Lionel Ritchie and say hello? What bunk!”

I must admit that I could see his point. Like so many South Africans, Reggie and my Auntie Liz have been victims of violent crime. Our first reaction to dreadful criminal incidents is usually not to fight fire with peace. We still believe that the only way to fight fire is with more fire.

Of course this is, in part, correct. When crimes are committed the perpetrators must be caught and face the full force of the law.

But this wasn’t really what Simon and I were talking about. Before Reggie got in on the act, I was explaining that along with a strategy to ‘fight crime’, we also need a parallel strategy of ‘creating peace’. If all we do is create more capacity to handle more crime i.e. more police, more guns and more courts, we will never stamp out crime as the roots of the problem will remain. We will always be solving crime cases; always slamming the stable door after the horse has bolted.
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TV..does it become a surrogate caregiver?

It’s amazing to think that the launch of TV in South Africa was delayed because of an ultra-conservative communications Minister. Dr Albert Hertzog was quoted saying: “Television will be a miniature bioscope over which parents would have no control.” Forty years later, you decide if he was right.

For many parents, TV has become the surrogate caregiver for a child 5 to 11 years old. Plop the kid in front of the box, tune in to KTV, Cartoon Network or whatever and the mindless drivel will keep them rooted to the spot and entertained until they starve to death.

Now I know what you are going to say, because I’ve had it already. You are going to tell me that it keeps the kids quiet and you get some peace. Fair enough. Another friend tells me if his kids wake up early on a weekend, they are allowed to switch on TV and watch quietly. That is a really good arrangement, Mom and Dad do deserve a few hours extra kip on Sunday. I’m not questioning why your kids watch TV; I’m questioning what they watch and what they are gleaning from it.
Here, I’m not acting overly hysterically spiritual, but there is barely a kids program or series that does not involve demons, spirits, spells, sorcery or air bending. If you had to break down the elements of the show’s story, what is evil and what is good according to the characters? Every second series now features children with magical somethings that turn them into powerful monsters that achieve I don’t know what except “beating the other guy” and moving up some ranking system.

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