Cyril, take action against crime

South African Ambassador to the United States, Roelf Meyer, vehemently refuted claims from right-wing groups that there is a "political persecution" against white farmers and that they are victims of violent murders. In response to the planting of 3,000 white crosses in Washington, DC, Meyer emphasized that violent crime impacts everyone in the country.

He pointed out that black South Africans are actually the ones suffering more brutal homicides than whites. On a grim note, South Africa experienced one of its deadliest weekends in recent history, with at least 27 deaths and 26 injuries in separate mass shootings. Meyer urged empathy and sympathy for all victims, but he believes the response should go beyond that.

Meyer's message to the government that appointed him is that action must be taken against crime. He highlighted that the country's current state of policing, particularly crime intelligence gathering, is severely inadequate. This could be improved by providing better resources, training, or even bringing in foreign experts to assist.

However, if the issue lies with corruption and involvement in organized crime within the police force, as suggested by ongoing investigations such as the Madlanga commission, harsh action must be taken starting at the highest level. The current head of the country, though, seems unmotivated to take any sort of action, harsh or otherwise.