LINKING CRIME AND MORALITY

This research paper reviews the origins, development, and challenges of the Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) in South Africa, an initiative designed to address crime and social decay by promoting morality and positive values.

• The 1996 National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS) was the first official policy to link crime with morality, utilizing a four-pillar approach. One pillar specifically targeted "the prevailing moral climate within communities, the attitudes towards crime, and tolerance of crime" to foster "strong community values and social pressure against criminality".
• The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM) originated from a June 1997 meeting between President Nelson Mandela and religious leaders, where Mandela identified a "spiritual malaise" characterized by cynicism, greed, and cruelty as a driver of crime and corruption.
• The MRM's early implementation relied on a political "campaign" approach modeled after the anti-apartheid struggle, emphasizing mass mobilization and structures over specific content. This approach sought a partnership between government and civil society, particularly faith-based organizations, though it lacked clarity on how these activities would actually "rebuild morality".
• In early 2002, the MRM was formally launched as a government-funded Section 21 non-profit company. Its focus shifted from spirituality and religion toward using the Constitution as the primary source of moral values, while the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) handled administration and the deputy president's office served as the political hub.
• The initiative faced significant political complications due to allegations of corruption against Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who served as the movement's political patron. These allegations were frequently contrasted with Zuma's role in leading a campaign for moral regeneration.
• By mid-2004, the MRM underwent a re-visioning exercise after acknowledging a lack of quantifiable impact and poor public communication. The movement shifted toward an "expert-based Board" and a focus on advocacy, aiming to lead public discourse and develop a "national consensus on positive values".
• The MRM faces critical sustainability challenges, including a lack of organic popular support and uncertain funding after its initial three-year government grant ended in March 2005. Additionally, it has struggled to engage meaningfully with mainstream crime prevention NGOs like NICRO and RAPCAN, partly due to perceptions that the MRM is too closely allied with government or religion.

APA

Rauch, J. (2005). LINKING CRIME AND MORALITY. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/01-mar-2005-sacq-no-11/linking-crime-and-morality

Chicago

Rauch, Janine. LINKING CRIME AND MORALITY. Institute for Security Studies, 2005. https://issafrica.org/01-mar-2005-sacq-no-11/linking-crime-and-morality.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rauch |first1=Janine |title=LINKING CRIME AND MORALITY |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=1 March 2005 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-mar-2005-sacq-no-11/linking-crime-and-morality |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rauch2005linking, author = {Rauch, Janine}, title = {{LINKING CRIME AND MORALITY}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2005}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-mar-2005-sacq-no-11/linking-crime-and-morality}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }