They couldn't mention how the people were ashamed when they were caught, because they weren't. The criminals pled not guilty.
You did mean
pleaded right?
Clearly they believe that they can get away with it, compounding the arrogance of committing these crimes without even covering their faces.
Or they simply don't care? It's not about their being able to get away with this crime that drives them to do it - it is purely about the selfish power experienced during committing such crimes.
Highlighting just how little respect criminals have for the justice system. Do you consider this irrelevant?
The justice system is broken - it's not about respect for the system, it's simply the justice system cannot work in its current form. The criminals are not going around committing crimes because they are trying to pay disrespect to the justice system - they are committing crimes for their sole benefit.
Also, don't trust the 'most criminals are known' statistic.
Consider these facts then: the majority of child molestation cases in any country involves people known to the child. Most of the researchable crimes involving murder are related to family or relationship difficulties, and in many cases entire families are wiped out by family members. The recent spate of high profile cases where spouses paid for their partners' murders (or even their partners' babies!) are also indication that the statistic is not so far fetched.
That one is a gem, based on cases solved and prosecuted.
Well, technically that is the only benchmark one can use, isn't it?
It's harder to find criminals who have no connection to the victim, and the SAP have a dismal rate of arrest in such cases, much less conviction.
I agree with you here, though I would also suggest that the average crime solving skills of the SAPS is nowhere near the wily technical knowledge of the lawyers representing the victims and easily having cases dismissed on technicalities.
After being mugged a few times, beaten up and held up, and listening to friends' stories, I can honestly say that it has never been my experience that more violent crime is committed by people known to the victims.
Your personal experience is a benchmark of your opinion only
I trust that more than the SAPS' spin.
I believe the SAPS are under reporting crimes significantly, however the stats they do make available is not necessarily incorrect regarding demographics.
Fifty south africans die every day at the hands of others. We see one or two stories, and you complain? Hundreds - literally hundreds - of south africans are raped every day, many of them gang-raped in similar fashion. And it's a problem for you to see a story every now and then? These are stories of lives ended or torn asunder. There's nothing in the world that can ruin a life like rape. Every story is emotional and heartrending. This isn't sensationalism, it's telling the story the way it is.
I don't believe any publication in this country or any other for that matter can truly tell a story like it is.
To all the others talking about how terrible it is here... well, if it was that bad, you'd be leaving.
Why must people leave? Surely leaving is not as acceptable a solution as sorting out the problem?
Yes, articles like this are neccessary to keep the awareness of such heinous crimes fresh in the public's mind.
It's not about keeping it in people's mind - it's about reporting and journalism and business.
Doesn't mean that others won't find it uncomfortable. I don't see anywhere where it was suggested that the media be curtailed in their freedom to decide on how to report a story. This is a matter of opinion, not suppression.
And your opinion is as valuable as anyone else's - the difference is that this particular forumite almost made light of a tragic and heinous event.
