South African History Online

Speech at the Launch of the National Crime Prevention Campaign

Johannesburg, 19 April 1999

Distinguished Guests, and Friends.

My schedule seems to get increasingly busy as the end of our first democratic
government approaches, and my own retirement from public office. But it was
essential to find time to join you in the launch of your Crime Prevention
Campaign. It is an important initiative to help our nation address a serious
problem.

We are long past blaming all our difficulties on our past. But it is at our
peril that we ignore the roots of South Africa's high levels of crime in the
apartheid era. It left us with a justice system pervaded with lawlessness and
criminality. It corroded the moral fabric of our society. It's legacy of poverty
will take years to eradicate.

For all these reasons our fight against the unacceptable levels of crime must
be a many-sided one and have the active participation of every sector of
society.

On the one hand we must continue to mount tough action against the criminals.
This means effective implementation of the tighter laws and bail conditions; a
more effective police force whose investigative capacity continues improving by
the day thanks to the detective academy government has established, and improved
co-operation between all criminal-justice agencies. Those who commit crime must
know they will be caught and punished.

On the other hand we must attend with equal vigour to assisting the victims
of crime; to preventing crime; and to eradicating the underlying social causes
of crime such as poverty and inequality.

When it comes to crime prevention, few initiatives can have more significance
than the one we are launching today.

It takes us beyond the mere pointing of fingers, to a partnership for
practical action to tackle issues that contribute to crime.

It has grown out of an inspiring initiative by men and women who have now
succeeded in involving government, business, religious bodies, youth and
cultural organisations as well as our international friends. It is aimed at
breaking the cycle of crime at it most critical point, amongst our youth, inside
and outside prison. And it takes the fight against crime to the grass roots.

For all these reasons this is a campaign that deserves the support of all of
us.

One of the great tragedies of apartheid was its neglect of the majority of
our children. It hindered the development of their potential to contribute to
the community and the nation and many were pushed to the margins of society. And
yet our youth are our future.

By combining education and crime prevention, by working in our schools and
amongst young people who are unemployed or in prison, the campaign will indeed
bring the light of hope to help break the darkness that feeds the ranks of the
criminals.

It will, we believe, add strength to our efforts to change the culture of
violence that pervades our society, and in particular too many of the schools
and homes where our young people learn the values that guide them.

By adopting the strategy of training young people, including prisoners, to
become themselves leaders in the campaign, we are showing that we do care. We
are declaring our faith in their capacity to help free us from the scourge of
crime.

To our youth we say: Seize the opportunities that this campaign brings to
take your place as tomorrow's leaders in re-building our society.

Through this initiative Ithuteng Trust has opened a new frontier in the
rebuilding of our society. To the Trust, and all those, including Eskom, whose
moral and financial support have made this campaign possible, we owe a great
debt, and we thank you sincerely. Yours is a shining example of the kind of
partnership that will see our nation solve even its most difficult problems.

I now declare this crime prevention campaign launched. Let us all join hands
to break the momentum of crime.