Let there be no doubt at all that South Africans are among the most violent people in the world.
In every form of violence, we have among the most shocking statistics, whether it is for murders, rapes, domestic violence, labour strikes, township protests or student unrest.

In this regard we are in fact reliving our history.

I argue that there is in fact no country in the world in which the capitalist system developed as violently as it did here.

This systemic violence in various forms - the uprooting of people from their homes in the rural areas, forced by various measures to seek work in the cities, and the structural violence imposed by the migrant labour system and its mine compounds, hostels, pass and influx controls - was how capitalism was That horrendous violence meted out by Dutch and Afrikaner nationalism and British imperialism on black people, since the earliest days of slavery and the genocide against the Khoisan people in the Cape Colony, is necessary to grasp in order to understand the very deep historical roots of structural, institutional and personal violence in this country.

To know and understand today’s violence in its various forms we must begin there.

The point, however, is that the history of this systemic and ubiquitous violence in countless forms left deep scars, to varying degrees, on all the people of this country, but most of all on the oppressed and exploited, and their children.

There is no doubt that much of that violent history affected emotionally and psychologically all subsequent generations.

Today we have horrifying signs of the brutal and savage legacy of such violence all over the country.

Nothing has been spared: schools, universities, libraries, treasured art works, public infrastructure in townships and even hospitals.

Schools burnt to the ground in Vuwani in 2016 come to my mind, as does the violence inflicted even in ICU wards in hospitals during strikes; teachers raping students; students assaulting and raping other students, even children; the heinous “necklace” method of burning to death suspected police informers in the 1970s and 1980s, often by mere hearsay or vague suspicion.

However, we have been savaged by and internalised not only the violence of our history, but also the violence of what has happened in this country after 1994.

Much or most of the violence in schools, universities and townships is not expressions of people worshipping mindlessly at the altar of violence, but of the accumulated anger of failed promises and unmet basic needs.

However, it is no longer good enough to justify today’s horrendous violence by that history.

This is because no matter how justifiable the cause might be, and therefore the violence it might lead to, it does severe immediate and long-term damage to both those targeted and the perpetrators, the consequences of which can be so traumatic that the destructive effects in various ways last for many years.

The terrible violence black children have been experiencing for many years in townships is going to take many years to deal with.

But there is another major concern. The sight of fires blazing and smoke billowing in black townships across the country has been common on television, often from burnt-down public infrastructure.

Those who question and criticise such destructive acts are correct, if for no other reason than that it often not only does not achieve anything towards the satisfaction of the demands made for better services, but it actually worsens the situation, because funds that could have gone towards meeting those demands must now be spent on replacing destroyed or damaged infrastructure. That is severely counter- productive in various ways.

There are also other forms of chilling violence in this country which one hardly hears of anywhere else in the world, like a disgruntled employee who was dismissed or ill-treated.

In one case, instead of referring the matter to the CCMA, the man returned to the employer’s home with friends, gained access, raped and brutally murdered both the employer and her daughter, and then set their bodies alight.

There have been several similar cases over the past decade. How does one even begin to fathom such macabre acts? This is the country we live in, sadly.

SUFFERInSMILIIN:
Let the truth of the matter be told Nigerians are criminals all over the world 70% of Nigerians have committed fraud in America in the last 10 years. around the world kill Nigerians before they kill your country just slaughtered them like chickens that is the only language they understand in one week in Saudi Arabia 52 Nigerians were executed. So how do you blame South Africa. In Britain Nigerians have been stabbed to death right left and Centre

SUFFERInSMILIIN:
Let the truth of the matter be told Nigerians are criminals all over the world 70% of Nigerians have committed fraud in America in the last 10 years. around the world kill Nigerians before they kill your country just slaughtered them like chickens that is the only language they understand in one week in Saudi Arabia 52 Nigerians were executed. So how do you blame South Africa. In Britain Nigerians have been stabbed to death right left and Centre

SUFFERInSMILIIN:


I think you are sick upstairs and your criminal Brothers. Which Nigerian is better the ones which run to other African countries to be illegal immigrants or refugees. 75% of Nigerians in America have committed fraud in the last 10 years so how are you better in crime and stealing. As a Botswana I gives South Africa my full support because South Africa is fighting a holy war against criminals

frosbel2:


75% of Nigerians in the US into fraud ? You must be mentally r.etarded.

75% of Nigerians in the US are the Doctors, Lawyers, Scientists, Politicians, Attorneys, Business owners and MUCH MORE. Yes , the news in the USA speaks MORE about the GOOD of Nigeria then the BAD.

Your guys are JUST LAZY and JEALOUS - Period.

SUFFERInSMILIIN:


All over the world everybody knows Nigerians are criminals keep on fooling yourself. FBI even in America is now see Nigerians are criminals and the want to cut the Nigerian visa by number of people going to America

Crime rates in Botswana

Level of crime - 55.13% Moderate

Crime increasing in the past 3 years - 81.71% Very High

Worries home broken and things stolen - 69.51% High

Worries being mugged or robbed - 65.24% High

Worries car stolen - 44.51% Moderate

Worries things from car stolen - 66.03% High

Worries attacked - 48.78% Moderate

Worries being insulted - 34.76% Low

Worries being subject to a physical attack because of your skin colour, ethnic origin or religion - 17.68% Very Low

Problem people using or dealing drugs - 45.73% Moderate

Problem property crimes such as vandalism and theft - 60.37% High

Problem violent crimes such as assault and armed robbery- 54.88% Moderate

Problem corruption and bribery - 48.17% Moderate

https://www.numbeo.com/crime/country_result.jsp?country=Botswana

frosbel2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23g-R8QIjIA

SUFFERInSMILIIN:
Let the truth of the matter be told Nigerians are criminals all over the world 70% of Nigerians have committed fraud in America in the last 10 years. around the world kill Nigerians before they kill your country just slaughtered them like chickens that is the only language they understand in one week in Saudi Arabia 52 Nigerians were executed. So how do you blame South Africa. In Britain Nigerians have been stabbed to death right left and Centre

tsdarkside:


you again....you found your way here....

what happened....??

that kenya better than nigeria thread became borin or what....??

frosbel2:


He is from Botswana, that backward 18th century African Country.

SUFFERInSMILIIN:
I like the way Nigerians fool themselves when they are the criminal Masters of the world

SUFFERInSMILIIN:
All over the world Nigerians been kill and executed. All of these so-called criminals need to be taught discipline

tsdarkside:


you again....you found your way here....

what happened....??

that kenya better than nigeria thread became borin or what....??

SUFFERInSMILIIN:


I found my way here to defend a country which is fighting a holy war against criminals. To make matters worse the country is our African neighbour. What stupid Nigerians do not know a attack on one southern African country is attack on all southern African countries. Already Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia Tanzania Mozambique and now ready to deal with Nigerians seriously and merciful easily

SUFFERInSMILIIN:


I found my way here to defend a country which is fighting a holy war against criminals. To make matters worse the country is our African neighbour. What stupid Nigerians do not know a attack on one southern African country is attack on all southern African countries. Already Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia Tanzania Mozambique and now ready to deal with Nigerians seriously and merciful easily

valentineuwakwe:
they are violent people but could not overcome apartheid without Nigeria's help abi? let them not worry, something big will hit them soon.

SUFFERInSMILIIN:
let me tell you the countries which help South Africa to get independence. The two biggest countries were Mozambique and Zimbabwe where over 50000 people died during their liberation struggle before South Africa would get independence. The only thing Nigeria did for South Africa give criminals money nothing else