All posts tagged crime

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Why SA’s police service are corrupt and will never fix our crime problem

Until tonight, I had wondered why, with so many policemen around, our protectors were unable to be anywhere near any serious crimes, ever. Tonight I figured it out.

Being an economist, I had forgotten that people follow incentives. They are rational. This goes for policemen too it seems.

I was driving home tonight (Sunday at 10pm) from a braai with friends. It was by no means a big event. I had not had very much to drink. No more than 4 shots of gin the entire day, since 3pm, which together with all the tonic, a full meal and other non-alcoholic drinks during the day, meant I should be well within the legal range. However this also meant that I could not know for certain whether I was over the limit or not. Read more…

At the end of a gun barrel

Perspective at the end of a gun barrel

This has been quite a week.

Last Friday, my cellphone was picked out of my pocket while attending a Goldfish concert.

Yesterday, Friday the 13th, I walked out of my office at 7pm, to be met by 3 men, one of whom had a gun. They knew I was alone and the last to leave, and they were waiting for me. They walked me back inside and made me open the office, where they expected to find cash and computers. They made me kneel on the floor, and put a gun in my mouth, while they told me they were going to kill me. There was nobody around to save me. Luckily, the older man seemed to have a bit of compassion, and he controlled his younger, more aggressive partner. This man was not much older than me. He was dressed well, with expensive labels, and had Gucci glasses on his head. He was indifferent to my living or dying. They opted to tie me up instead, and locked me in my office as they left in my car, with pretty much everything that I own that is worth anything (in the boot and laptop bag). Read more…