A Growing Crisis of Violence

Patterns That Shape the Everyday

By RICHARD PITHOUSE

More than three decades after the end of apartheid, South Africa has not resolved its crisis of violence. We have one of the highest murder rates in the world, and more than 27,000 people were killed last year, an average of around 76 a day.

Police storming the crime scene.

Most of those killed are young men, often in public space. Women are most often killed in private space, usually by intimate partners.

Guns, Masculinity and Everyday Conflict

The pervasive presence of guns is central to the high murder rate. When a gun is present, conflicts are far more likely to end in death. Firearms are now the leading cause of death in murders of both men and women. For women in particular, the presence of a gun in the home raises the risk of being killed. Toxic forms of masculinity are also central to the problem, with guns becoming a way of projecting power or settling disputes.

Organised Crime and Political Violence

There is also growing violence tied to organised criminal networks. Extortion rackets are spreading, and assassinations of politicians, activists, auditors and lawyers are common. Violence is increasingly tied to competition over resources, positions and access to patronage. Within politics itself, assassinations linked to office, tenders and local patronage networks have become entrenched, corroding democratic life.

Towards Building Peaceful Foundations

Reducing violence requires building institutions that are present and effective, especially in abandoned areas, alongside confronting mass unemployment and creating dignified paths for young people. It also means investment in housing, transport, healthcare and social support, reducing the number of guns in circulation, regulating alcohol, and tackling corruption in the police. Other countries have shown that change is possible, with democratic projects reducing poverty and violence. TQ

Professor Richards Pithouse is an academic, writer and activist. This is drawn from a longer article, titled Men with Guns, and first published on Substack at https://richardpithouse.substack.com/p/men-with-guns