Violent crime imprisons SA

BUSINESS is bearing the brunt of high crime levels within communities leading to absenteeism, mental health issues and declines in productivity.

Presenting its 2024 Violence Survey this week, consumer finance business RCS revealed the impact of fear around personal safety and deepening violence across the country, with 36% of respondents saying they “never” felt safe in 2024, double those in 2020 (18%). Of those surveyed 82% said they never felt safe in their community.

The survey ‒ conducted across high-risk areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Gauteng ‒ shows that the situation is so dire people are scared to leave their homes or go out and do activities they love out of fear that they might be targeted next.

Figures show that women are more affected in terms of lateness, absenteeism, and reduced job performance while men were disproportionately affected by income and job loss. Strangers remained the main perpetrators of violence in 2024 at 62%, followed by gang members, neighbours and romantic partners.

RCS deputy CEO Mariné van Brakel said that apart from a decrease in reports of verbal abuse, threats and property destruction, extreme violence was becoming more prevalent and it wasn’t a surprise that 82% of respondents in this year’s survey felt unsafe in their community.

Of particular interest, she said, was the perceived correlation between safety and security issues and the prevailing cost of living crisis.

Van Brake said there was a significant increase in the number of threats involving weapons, while physical attacks and injuries also went up.

Also “alarming” was the increase in reported kidnapping and abduction.

“Overall, the number of crimes experienced has decreased, which is positive, but unfortunately, this is due to less violent crimes like verbal abuse and property destruction, which are occurring less in comparison with the rise in extreme violence, which is very concerning,” she said.

The survey also found that in 64% of cases, violence caused some form of injury, including psychological distress and injury with long-term recovery. The impact of violence on employees' ability to do their jobs effectively, however, did show a positive declining trend, decreasing from 78% in 2021 to 65% in 2022.

“Given the high unemployment rate, especially among the youth, we would like to highlight the major categories that violence impacts, which include loss of income or jobs, lateness or absenteeism from work and school, as well as physical or mental hindrance in job performance,” Van Brakel said.

RCS HR executive Sandy Richardson said 46% of the corporates surveyed reported that community violence remained the major contributing factor to absenteeism and 62% said they had taken steps to assist employees living in violent communities.

“The reality is that corporates can no longer ignore the link between after-hour events and the workday. Supporting employees in leading safer, more fulfilled lives should be everyone’s responsibility,” said Richardson.

This year’s RCS survey included 340 consumers and public stakeholders and 110 corporate respondents mostly in management positions. The poll was targeted at respondents who lived in violence-affected communities like Phoenix, Soweto and Hanover Park in the Western Cape, among many others. Of those who participated, 53% were women and 47% men, most of them aged between 25 to 34 years.

Apart from the impact on productivity, violence also had an effect on employee growth, said Richardson.

She said beyond absenteeism, violence also caused presentee-ism, where employees were physically at work but not able to fully perform because of mental distractions or hindrances.

Despite the downward trend in the statistics, Richardson said it wasn’t clear if community violence was impacting business less, if it was underestimated or if businesses were simply just adapting.

“Corporates are increasingly agreeing that community violence has a high negative impact but the number of organisations assisting employees remains the same.”

Richardson said those businesses that offered support did so by providing safe transport, giving access to counselling or therapy and in some instances even providing accommodation.

She said there was also a marked increase in the provision of emotional support, days off and educational programmes but employees had different perceptions about whether or not companies were supportive.

“An employee, when they enter your workforce, they don’t leave their reality at home behind. They are human beings that must be supported.”

Richardson said RCS employed more than 1 000 workers and many lived in communities where violence was rife.

The company assisted them through on-site counselling, confidential online counselling through its Employee Assistance Programme as well as an on-site clinic which could deal with the physical impacts of violence.

It also provided employees with subsidised transport from the office to their homes and self-defence lessons.

RCS Group CEO Regan Adams said they started their annual violence surveys in 2020 to gain a more holistic understanding of the effects of violence on communities and individuals in vulnerable areas throughout South Africa. They also wanted to determine the impact of violence on business “because ultimately individuals from these areas are having to go into work where they apply themselves”.

KLA Africa carried out the research.

Research director Jenni Pennacchini said most respondents reported monthly earnings of R13 500 and above, and lived in a household which supported four to five people. She said their corporate sample included 59% of semi-skilled workers with highly skilled and unskilled workers constituting 33% and 9% respectively. Their survey participants were from a broad spectrum of industries, including construction, hospitality, retail and manufacturing.

“In terms of the demographic profile of our survey respondents, it was important for us to ensure that our sample was reflective of an accurate representation of South African society. It was also important for us to retain a similar demographic spread to previous years, because this is really important in terms of enabling us to allow for life-for-life comparisons,” said Pennacchini.

The Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative (WPDI), an NGO with global reach founded by US actor Forest Whitaker, was also concerned about the level of violence.

Conflict resolution and peace-building expert Siphathisiwe Dhlamini said this year they had witnessed a decrease in the number of crimes, but an increase in the severity of violence.

“The Violence Survey findings mirror the Q1 2024 crime statistics published by SAPS, which show that extreme violence has become more prevalent.”

Dhlamini said their survey showed that incidents of being threatened with a weapon rose from 57% in 2023 to 62% in 2024.

Physical attacks and injuries increased from 51% in 2023 to 53% in 2024. In addition, 82% of those polled said they felt unsafe in their community while 81% felt that violence had increased because of the rising cost of living.

The survey assessed the loss of income or a job; being late for work, school or tertiary education; being absent from work, school or tertiary education; and being physically or mentally hindered in one’s ability to perform within the workplace.

“The survey demonstrates that violence continues to impact livelihoods and well-being in 2024, with a significant rise in loss of income or jobs reported by more than half of the respondents (51%) as a result of their experience with violence, a 12% increase when compared with 2023.”

Dhlamini said 46% of respondents experienced gender-based violence in 2024; 53% of female respondents were affected compared with 38% of men.

“Tackling GBV requires a strategic, targeted intervention involving multiple stakeholders across society. However, this is especially urgent in the workplace, where only 54% of women feel their employer offers them sufficient support,” Dhlamini said.