The Good News, a South African newsletter has been hailing some pure South African innovations such as the CAT scan, the MineBurner (landmine removal), the CyberTracker (animal tracking), the speedgun (measuring the speed of a cricket ball) and the famous Kreepy Krauly (swimming pool cleaner).

Not to mention other great South African products such as the Rooivalk attack helicopter, various modifications to existing (re. old) planes and armaments and the ingenius new designs on vehicles.

Granted, most of these inventions (especially stemming from warfare mods) became necessary due to international sanctions against the old South African government. But it shows that our people are ingenious and don't shy away from finding solutions even if there is no problem.

So why can't we apply this to our everyday fight against crime? Why do we sit around and let government decide wether crime is out of control or not? Felix sent me this little gem -

Statistics are very murky as it is currently in this country. It's shown that something like only 10% of criminals in all rape cases actually get convicted. And that's out of only 30% of all rapes being reported that end up in court. Aids related deaths are 'covered-up' even more with the ailment causing the eventual death listed. It could be TB or it could be the common flu - who's to know better?

It's time we start thinking 'out of the box' in our fight against crime. It's time government accounts for the state the nation is in. I would start off by insisting that prisons become prisons again. A place where the criminal element is made to suffer the consequences of their actions. Murderers and rapists should be sent to jail with no possibility of parole or getting out in their lifetimes. The death penalty was scrapped on humantarian grounds, but with hardcore criminals not showing any regard for human life, they show that they don't respect their own lifes. Let them rot in jail.

Between Trevor Manuel and Thabo Mbeki we have the resources and the presidential promise that crime will be brought under control, so who's stuffing up? Is Mbeki just trying to pacify the nation? Are they serious about crime? I don't think so. First, Mbeki cannot admit to the crime situation. The world will sit up and take note which Mbeki doesn't want. He needs to promote the country and it's possibilities, he needs to sell our economy and it's people. Working down the order we'll get to the Minister of Safety and Security. That's where the brown stuff starts. This is the man who told South Africa that they should stop whingeing about crime or get out. Then we'll find Selebi. The man with Mafia connections who's also heavily involved in Interpol.

Accountability. That's where it all goes pearshaped. Until enough pressure is excerted on Mbeki this will stay a foreign word to government. We are all suffering, and it gets harder by the day to accept this as everyday life in this country.

Let's have your ideas -

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