While crime is still unacceptably high in South Africa, credit must be given where credit is due.

Crime, overall, is at its lowest level since 1994, with murders down by 50% since the end of apartheid. The hard-working police, who aren’t corrupt or dead, should be acknowledged. (Actually, the dead ones probably should be acknowledged.)

It’s easy to slip into something a little more cynical, but there are many good cops who have made a difference but go unnoticed because, the truth is, good cops don’t sell newspapers.

Astute readers might have picked up on my Sex Pistols reference. After all, I couldn’t give a nod only to The Clash, particularly where anarchy in the UK is concerned.

Update

For reasons not explained to me, this cartoon did not run.

Bheki Cele, warts and all, must be disheartened by the ongoing number of dead cops. I read that, at one stage, he was attending a police funeral every weekend over a period of nearly two months.

That’s really depressing.

Killing cops is certainly a symptom of an ill society, no matter which way you look at it.