'Kill the bastards' South African police advised

[Mugu]

By Sebastien Berger in Johannesburg
telegraph.co.uk

South Africa’s deputy security minister has told police how to tackle rampant crime in their cities: “kill the bastards”, and do not worry about regulations. “You must kill the bastards if they threaten you or the community,” Susan Shabangu, told a local police forum in Pretoria.

“I want to assure the police station commissioners and policemen and women that they have permission to kill these criminals. “You must not worry about the regulations. That is my responsibility. Your responsibility is to serve and protect,” she added.

“I won’t tolerate any pathetic excuses for you not being able to deal with crime. You have been given guns, now use them. I want no warning shots. You have one shot and it must be a kill shot.”

South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world, with more than 19,000 people murdered last year - more than 50 a day - in a population of 46 million, giving it a murder rate 32 times higher than that of the UK.


Complete article at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/10/wsafrica110.xml

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Say goodbye to Susan Shabangu

The outcry will be ferocious.

[HamdenRice]

2. That's comparable to the New York City murder rate in the bad old days

About 2,500 per year out of a population of (then) 6 million. It's not as bad as the hype.

2,500 / 6,000,000 = 4.167

19,000 / 46,000,000 = 4.13

[sammythecat]

3. Holy Crap! What's next? Run for your lives!!!

I admit I'm not really up on life in South Africa, but things must be pretty much out of control to hear an official saying things like that in public. Either that or the official is out of control.