/ 24 October 2010

SA govt signs pact to fight crime

South Africa's government on Sunday vowed to reduce violent crime by signing a delivery pact which sets out a programme of action.

South Africa’s government on Sunday vowed to reduce violent crime by signing a delivery pact which sets out a programme of action to ensure people in the country feel safe.

The agreement with the presidency sets targets for ministries with responsibility for crime prevention, security and justice to bring down violence, fight corruption and better manage caseloads in the country’s courts.

“It sets standards against which government will be measured as it pursues a safer South Africa in partnership with various sectors of society,” said a government statement.

The pact is the government’s programme of action to make the country safer for residents and more attractive to investors and visitors who have expressed concerns about crime, it said.

Targets include lowering levels of serious crime, increasing visible policing, and tackling escapes from custody.

A corruption baseline report is due by December, while border security is also to be beefed up.

The pact is one of a dozen priorities which also include bettering education, health, employment, and housing. Its main objective is that “all people in South Africa are and feel safe”.

The agreements follow President Jacob Zuma’s signing of performance agreements with his relevant ministers earlier this year.

South Africa’s number of murders fell last year to the lowest level since apartheid but still averages 46 a day, one of the highest in the world. – AFP