Business against Crime (BAC) has come out in support of President Thabo Mbeki, saying no assertion has been made by the president that crime levels in the country are not high.
”In a specific meeting in August, there was no debate by the president that crime levels were high and he acknowledged the seriousness of crime in South Africa,” BAC chief executive Siphiwe Nzimande said on Monday.
Nzimande was speaking at a press briefing in Auckland Park where he received a cheque from the South African Insurance Association (SAIA).
The cheque, to the value of R1,336-million, was handed over to assist in the fight against vehicle crime.
Nzimande said the fight against crime is an ”ongoing battle.”
”The public as well as business and government have a role to play,” he said.
Nzimande said government and business are on the same page with regard to crime but efforts needed to be stepped up as crime is ”unacceptably high”.
Nzimande commented on the shooting of BAC project manager Alan McKenzie, saying he was ”very disturbed and very disgusted about that incident of criminality”.
McKenzie was shot four times after five gunmen entered the home of a family member in Table View, Cape Town last Tuesday.
McKenzie was ”still in hospital but doing better”, Nzimande said. — Sapa