Got this in an email and thought it interesting – any truth in it you think?
Crime definitely pays!
After I was a victim of crime in 2005, I attended many crime discussions, brain storming and therapy sessions. At each of these discussions the question came up on how to tackle the symptoms of crime.
The only question never raised was:
Question: “What is the influence of crime on the S.A. Government?”
Answer: Crime generates millions and millions of Rand’s for the S.A. Government
Here are the facts:
Example 1:
Take just one million home owners in Gauteng (Johannesburg area) who pay for “armed crime reaction” (not crime prevention) where private security companies react AFTER the crime has taken place – no wonder they never make any arrests!
This service costs on average R250 p.m. Therefore 1 000,000 x R240.00 X 12 months x 14% VAT, generates R403 million in tax revenue for the S.A. Government!
Example 2:
A car thief steals a R500,000 car and receives between R10,000 and R30,000 for his deed.
The car owner is paid out by insurance and then purchases another similar vehicle, on which he pays 14% VAT of approx R70,000 as a direct result of crime. Who profited the most? The thief or the S.A. Government?
We must begin with a mechanism whereby the S.A. Government is forced to reconsider this unconstitutional and immoral practice of profiting from crime!
All South Africans should demand that all payments related to protection of life and property should be VAT free and Tax deductible!
This principle should also apply to replacement of stolen property as well as estate duty. If a person dies as a result of crime we should also demand that estate duty not be paid.
How much do you think the S.A. Government has made out of estate duty from the murders of 1300 South African farmers?
The S.A. Government likes to compare us to overseas. Well overseas, your safety and security is covered by your income tax and is tax deductible!
It is time that South Africans stood together and made the Government and public aware of the Government’s “income” from crime. In the meantime crime is the goose that lays the golden egg
Is it also not unreasonable to expect victims of violence and hijackings to pay their own medical costs? The Government should pay for these expenses as well as family counselling for victims!
Come on South Africa, ask the right questions and demand the right answers!
Crime pays! | Criminal News Stories
•14 years ago
[…] Crime pays! By SanityFound Take just one million home owners in Gauteng who pay for ?armed crime reaction? (not crime prevention) where private security companies react AFTER the crime has taken place – no wonder they never make any arrests! … SanityFound’s Rambling’s – http://sanityfound.wordpress.com […]
vishesh
•14 years ago
no,citizens aren’t supposed to ask questions…the government will make money and then they might even put it in their personal Swiss A/C like a few people here do….
deepsm25
•14 years ago
I echo the same feelin like vishesh!
Visionary
•14 years ago
It’s not just SA of course. It’s global.
What prevents us from committing crime is that as socially evolved beings we have developed a moral conviction that crime’s bad for society. For the morally flexible, there’s the fear of getting caught.
As the competitive nature of our economy makes us more selfish and our leaders play on this and become more corrupt, both of these imperatives are gradually being eroded and as result we are becoming more tolerant of crime especially crime committed by people in power. By tolerant, I mean can’t be bothered to do anything about it until it affects us directly and noticeably.
In the world today, there is nothing more important than the bottom line on the balance sheet. The simple economics of profit are that if reward exceeds cost then it makes sound business sense, legal or not. As long as you can make more money than you lose, it pays.
V
SanityFound
•14 years ago
Aye, it always pays in the end good points. Sad how it is that we are so accustomed to crime that very rarely do we even duck at the sound of a gunshot or perhaps that is just me lol.
thatdudeyouknow
•14 years ago
I am having second thoughts about visiting South Africa in another ten years…
SanityFound
•14 years ago
Nah this is actually world wide…