Business leaders addressing crime

Under the patronage of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the convention will be looking at both the context and the factors that feed the cycle of crime and violence being experienced by the country and the interventions needed to break this cycle and enable South Africans to be a part of the solution.

Roelf Meyer, project leader for Action for a Safe South Africa, says the support from society leaders is important, but that it is the involvement of everyday South Africans that will ultimately make the difference. “It's the individual members of civil society who will make the real change happen, through a shift in thinking and action.”

Civil society initiative

Action for a Safe South Africa is a civil society initiative, which has a vision of a safe SA and is determined to make this a reality. Drawing on the expertise of years of research by many experts, academics and community based practitioners - they are looking at ways South Africans can work together to achieve a safe country through identifying a wide range of interventions that have the collective power to help South Africans believe that one can achieve a safe country.

Barbara Holtmann, leader of crime prevention research at the CSIR says what will make this initiative different from others and likely to succeed where others haven't, is the bringing together of different sectors across civil society (but with support of government) to focus on a safe society instead of on crime and violence.

“The basis is good science, but the actions will incorporate lateral, practical and creative approaches and collectively these will make up an initiative that has no comparative anywhere.”

The Convention is open to the public on 25 and 28 August, giving South Africans a chance to participate in making South Africa a safer country. For more information, go to www.safesouthafrica.org.za.