Citizens Shouldn't Have To Live In Fear
23 November 2020 – For immediate release
According to the latest survey by the global polling group, (Gallup), South Africa is now ranked the fifth most dangerous country out of the 144 countries covered in a recent survey.
The results of the Gallup Law and Order Index1, which presents a composite score based on confidence in local police, feelings about personal safety and the incidence of theft, assault and mugging, reflect that only Liberia, Venezuela, Gabon and Afghanistan score worse than South Africa.
In the poll, citizens from other countries averaged around 69% (feel safe walking alone at night) compared to 29% of South Africans - (the same as Venezuela). Our country fared no better in the 2020 Global Peace Index2, and in the Violent Cities Ranking by Peace, Justice and Security. The murder rate in South Africa, presently calculated at around 55 people per day (slightly lower than the pre-Covid19 figures of 58 per day), has been characterised (even by our own Minister of Police, Bheki Cele) as a literal warzone3 when compared to countries like Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Afghanistan, where armed conflicts claim between 38 and 200 deaths per 100,000 population.
Against this backdrop the objectives of SafeCitizen assume an even-greater priority as it is clearly demonstrated that all South Africans face violent crime. Whilst our politicians, celebrities, and business-leaders can afford the best protection available, the ordinary citizen must take care of their own safety – especially when an under-resourced police force cannot be on hand in the instant of a life-threatening attack.
SafeCitizen promotes lawful and responsible firearm ownership as the number-one way for ordinary people to protect themselves and their communities from violent criminals. It is nonsensical to suggest that disarming lawfully armed and law-abiding citizens will reduce the use of firearms by criminals, when experience around the world has shown that the people who prey on society don’t give two hoots about the law and that they (the criminals) will be the only beneficiaries of a disarmed society.
SafeCitizen has already reached tens of thousands of supporters and intends to unite all interested and affected persons behind the constitutional guarantee of freedom from violence. Even for persons who choose not to own a firearm it is smart to realise that a lawfully armed citizen makes your community safer.
McIntosh Polela
National Campaign Leader
ENDS
Enquiries pertaining to this statement
- McIntosh Polela - 079-563-1625
- Jonathan Deal - 076-838-5150 - or on WhatsApp / jonathan.deal@safecitizen.co.za
2 https://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GPI_2020_web.pdf