Public Perceptions on the Effects of Crime in the Community: Insight from Tongaat community in the Kwazulu-Natal province

• Pages: 6-20
• Date: 01 June 2022
• Published date: 01 June 2022
• Author: Sazelo Michael Mkhize,Nontobeko Patience Khoza,Khanyisile Berlinda Majola,Londeka Princess Ngubane

Vol. 6 No. 2

June, 2022

European Journal of Economics, Law and Social Sciences

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

ISSN 2519-1284

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

6

Public Perceptions on the Eects of Crime in the Community: Insight from

Tongaat community in the Kwazulu-Natal province

Sazelo Michael Mkhize

Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies

University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Nontobeko Patience Khoza

Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies

University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Khanyisile Berlinda Majola

Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies

University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Londeka Princess Ngubane

Department of Criminology and Forensic Studies

University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Abstract

The criminal activity in South Africa has been burdensome to the country’s civilians and the

state. This is due to the diculty faced in controlling its occurrence and the lasting impact

it has on the functioning of the society. This study aims to discuss the eects crime has on

civilians. The researcher conducted a qualitative investigation in Tongaat, Durban Kwa Zulu

Natal where 15 participants were consensually recruited. Findings discovered that people of

the Tongaat community are negatively aected by crime.

Keywords: Public Perceptions, Eects of Crime, Tongaat community, Kwazulu-Natal

province.

Introduction

Over the last two decades, crime has dominated South Africa’s development (Rob-

erts and Gordon, 2016). High crime rates create widespread sentiments of insecurity

and anxiety, undermining public trust in the democratic process (Louw, 1997; Pérez,

2003).Crime occurrence can be an inevitable fact in communities which struggle with

socio economic issues. South Africa has been headlined to struggle a lot in relation to

various socio-economic issues with unemployed youth reaching a recorded all time

high of 64.4% in 2021 (Singh,2021). Unemployment is known to have much contribu-

tion to the issue of crime as destitute groups who bale the ght of poverty against

their survival. The association between crime and unemployment has had a long

history in social science and continues to be a source of contention among politicians

today (Mazorodze, 2020). South Africans are suering as a result of high crime rates

(Louw, 1997). Crime, rather than socioeconomic diculties, increasingly dominates