81% of Capetonians living in fear of crime

By Tando Mfengwana
12 September 2006

An opinion poll has shown that Cape Town residents are among those who feel least safe from crime.

The Cape Argus reports that the poll was conducted by Research surveys among 2 000 people in the countries metropolitan.

Countrywide almost 75 percent of the people feel that they are in danger and 81 percent do not believe that crime levels are dropping.

The report says that the most fearful of crime was Port Elizabeth, with 86% of the residents feel threatened.

PE is followed by Bloemfontein with 85%, Cape Town coming in, in third with 81%, Durban (77%), Johannesburg (69%) and East London with 65 percent.

90 % of Indians and Asians feel least safe, followed by whites with 87%, and coloureds and ethnic Africans at 71%.

The survey found that residents living in Soweto were among the most positive, and people living in shacks feeling the safest.

The survey comes out ahead of the national crime statistics to be released this month; the report says that 81 % of respondents did not believe that the crime levels are dropping.

Previous government crime statistics have shown a decrease in crime, especially some forms of violent crime.