Stab vests for tourists at the World Cup?!

Stab vests for tourists at the World Cup?!

A London-based security clothing company has been lambasted by the South African government and some South Africans for marketing a "stab-proof vest" for football fans planning to visit the World Cup in June this year.

The idea is that tourists order one of these vests online and it is delivered to their hotel room once they get to South Africa. They then wear them to the stadiums or even walking on the streets – just in case something happens to them.

According to South African police figures, there were 18,148 murders in the year ending March 2009 and knives or sharp objects were used in about 52 percent of the deaths. No wonder foreigners are so edgy about crime in South Africa.

Criminal controversy

Back home here, the issue of crime again reared its ugly head. Here’s a brief synopsis of the furore that’s causing waves in SA.

A private TV station, ETV, aired a news piece looking at crime in South Africa ahead of the Football World Cup. The TV reporter interviewed two "hardened criminals" (concealing their identities) who confessed to all of South Africa their plans to rob tourists planning to visit the country during the World Cup.

They said something along the lines of they "will steal whatever they can, from US dollars to cameras to jewellery BUT, they don’t really want to kill any tourists because they want them to come back".

Can you believe that?!

South Africans are now talking about whether the channel should have aired such a story. Was it really smart giving criminals that kind of platform? Doesn’t it paint South Africa in a bad light when it’s trying to pull off the biggest football extravaganza in a few months?

Since the story was aired, the police have asked the courts to subpoena the reporter and they want him to say where those criminals are hiding. A court date has been set for 25 January.

But journalism groups say the move threatens press independence.

The man the TV company says acted as a facilitator for the interviews apparently killed himself and President Jacob Zuma’s party, the African National Congress (ANC), is calling the TV station and the journalist (who is a black South African) unpatriotic.

Insecurity a problem

If anything, I think the incident brought the issue of crime to the minds of South Africans – again.

You hear the stories about crime getting out of hand in South Africa – the hijackings, house robberies, cash heists, rapes etc. You can’t pick up a newspaper or watch a news bulletin in the country without reading about something that happened to someone.

With the 2010 Football World Cup fast approaching, there is a feeling crime is on the increase. And the public perception in South Africa is that everyone has been affected by crime in one way or another.

Government officials always try to downplay levels of crime here, but I feel it is a problem.

And why wouldn’t it be? This country has one of the world’s largest gaps between the super insanely rich and the desperately poor.

Before I go any further, it’s important to say I am writing as an outsider, a non-South Africa living in this amazing country. My perception of crime is obviously different to the perception of a South African. And maybe I am just being an over-paranoid foreigner, but this country raves about freedom of speech and I choose to exercise that right.

Here is my take on crime in Johannesburg: I followed the tips – dressed down, don't wear jewellery, don’t drive at night rather get a taxi, make sure all my doors are locked to my apartment and oh yes – install an alarm.

I’ve been doing all that and yet, I’ve been robbed three times in one year!

South Africa is spending $200m on security for the World Cup to protect the hundreds of thousands of tourists expected to invade the country in June - protection from crime especially.

If anything, the TV report showed what’s on the minds of some criminals in South Africa. As long as a third of the population (20 million people) live in abject poverty, crime isn’t going to go away. Pretending crime is not a problem isn’t going to ease the minds of thousands of tourists planning to come here soon, who may still have reservations about their safety.

Perhaps the South African government should be more proactive in letting people know how to protect themselves better. Criminals will undoubtedly be on high alert in June during the World Cup – maybe preventative measures need to be stepped up too? And let’s see if those stab vests ever make it down to South Africa.