WHO IS TO BLAME?

A 2002 survey in Meadowlands, Soweto, reveals high rates of victimisation, particularly burglary, robbery, and assault. While police and general public sentiment often blame foreigners for crime, Meadowlands residents identify local unemployed youth living within the community as the primary offenders. The study also highlights a high prevalence of domestic violence and a misalignment between police priorities (such as car hijacking) and the actual most frequent crimes experienced by residents.

• A significant portion of Meadowlands residents have experienced crime, with 64% reporting victimisation since 1994 and 47% reporting victimisation in the twelve months prior to the survey.
• Burglary is the most prevalent crime in Meadowlands, affecting 20% of respondents in the year preceding the survey, followed by robbery (18%) and assault (9%). The rate of home burglary in Meadowlands is double that of inner Johannesburg.
• Contrary to police perceptions and general public sentiment in South Africa, residents of Meadowlands believe that crime is committed by local South Africans living within the suburb, specifically the youth and the unemployed, rather than foreigners.
• Assault in Meadowlands is frequently linked to domestic violence and substance abuse. In the majority of reported cases, a relationship existed between the victim and assailant, with over one third involving a lover or spouse and 44% involving repeat attacks. Additionally, 63% of assailants were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• There is a discrepancy between police priorities and actual crime prevalence in Meadowlands; while police prioritised car hijacking, the survey found it to be a comparatively negligible problem.
• Unemployed individuals are disproportionately affected by crime in Meadowlands, constituting 30% of victims in the preceding year, and face greater difficulties in recovering from criminal acts due to a lack of insurance and funds for replacements or medical care.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2003). WHO IS TO BLAME? https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2003-sacq-no-5/who-is-to-blame

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. WHO IS TO BLAME? 2003. https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2003-sacq-no-5/who-is-to-blame.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=WHO IS TO BLAME? |date=1 September 2003 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2003-sacq-no-5/who-is-to-blame |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies2003who, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{WHO IS TO BLAME?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2003}, month = sep, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-sep-2003-sacq-no-5/who-is-to-blame}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }