South Africa is denying its crime catastrophe, says former ID head
Households spend more on security than health, education as crime takes toll
South Africa’s prosecuting authority faces a “skills catastrophe” as crime gets out of hand, according to prosecutions expert Hermione Cronje. She spoke this week as a World Bank study revealed that crime shaves off 10% of South Africa’s GDP, with one in eight businesses being affected by the scourge.
Cronje, former head of the Investigating Directorate, said the National Prosecuting Authority was underplaying its skills deficit. “It started with a problem, then a crisis, then a catastrophe. And it is a bigger catastrophe because there is no acknowledgment in the organisation of the depth of the crisis. Until you have that — at least in all the other spheres, everyone is recognising the crisis — there is a need to start addressing it.”..
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