Protesters against crime called on the government to offer tax deductions for money spent on security in a memorandum handed to the Gauteng provincial government in Johannesburg on Friday.
Lorraine Maisel, founder of the organisation Angry About Crime, handed the memorandum to Ian Robertson of Gauteng’s community safety department at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) offices after a march by between 50 to 100 people.
”If R1,8-million can be paid to a coach to sort out Bafana Bafana, why can’t we ask [and pay for] someone outside the country how we can do it [sort out crime]?”
Robertson told Maisel on receiving the memorandum that he would send it through the prescribed channels to President Thabo Mbeki.
In the front row of the procession was Denise Goldin, mother of the actor Brett Goldin, who was murdered in Cape Town along with Richard Bloom.
A picture of Bloom was among the many placards that protesters waved.
Others read ”Stop the crime war”, ”Help our police protect us” and ”Enough is enough! Let’s fight crime together”.
Denise Goldin said that after her son’s murder the organisation gave her huge support, which ”gave me reason to keep going”.
”My husband, daughter and I found our lives shattered and working with Angry About Crime has given the opportunity to give back some wonderful compassion and support that has been given to me,” she said.
The crowd shouted slogans that included ”Phansi [down with] Jackie Selebi” and ”Pay police more”.
However, at one point Maisel reprimanded marchers who were singing against Selebi, the police National Commissioner, saying: ”No, we are not angry with anyone but the criminals.”
One marcher, Jill Katz, said she was ”disgusted” that SABC television cameras had not found their way to the news event on doorstep to of the television studios. — Sapa