Summary

Crime of some sort has affected almost every South African. Rising to unprecedented levels after the transition to democracy in 1994, it was the emotional hook used by most political parties in their 1999 election campaigns and, after a spate of bombings in the Western Cape in late 1999 it continued to be the most talked about subject across the country. Yet, there has been no rigorous examination of this topic and urban crime remains generally misunderstood.