A criminological exploration of the fear of crime among domestic workers in Tshwane, Gauteng

Abstract

South Africans are concerned about the high levels of crime and violence in the country. Housebreaking and theft are the most common crimes faced by citizens, although statistics reveal a slight decline in the number of reported cases. Property crimes and thefts present a serious threat to workplace safety and, as a result, induce the fear of crime. This study aimed to explore to what extent domestic workers experience victimisation in the workplace and how this affects their perceptions of crime. A large body of research on crime, fear of crime and victimisation has neglected to investigate the effects of workplace victimisation in this context. A qualitative research approach was applied to investigate and explore domestic workers’ experiences and their perceptions of safety and victimisation in their working environments. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with sixteen (16) domestic workers and four (04) police officials, who are group commanders, at the South African Police Service (SAPS) Brooklyn. The 16 domestic workers were selected randomly at the Brooklyn Crime Information Management and Analysis Centre (CIMAC) office. A purposive sampling approach was employed. The research participants’ narratives revealed the causal ideologies ingrained in the domestic workers’ experiences through their lenses. The results of this study reveal that exposure to victimisation has long-term psychological effects and creates a distorted perception of fear of crime. In addition, there is a strong link between fear of crime, poor built environment design, inadequate community structures’ engagement and ineffective law enforcement.

Maafrika-Dzonga va vilerisiwa hi mayelana na tilevhele ta le henhla ta vugevenga na madzolonga etikweni. Ku tshoviwa ka tindlu na vukhamba hi byona vugevenga lebyi tolovelekeke swinene lebyi langutanaka na vaakatiko, hambileswi tinhlayonhlayo ti paluxaka ku ya ehansi switsongo eka nhlayo ya milandzu leyi mangariweke. Vugevenga bya nhundzu na vukhamba swi nyika nchaviseto wo tivikana eka vuhlayiseki bya le ntirhweni naswona, hikokwalaho, swi vanga nchavo wa vugevenga. Ndzavisiso lowu wu valanga leswaku i kufika eka mpimo wihi vapfuni va le mindyangwini va tokotaka nxaniso entirhweni na hilaha leswi swi khumbaka hakona mavonelo ya vona ya vugevenga. Miri lowukulu wa ndzavisiso hi mayelana na vugevenga, nchavo wa vugevenga na nxaniso wu tsan'wile ku lavisisa switandzhaku swa nxaniso wa le ntirhweni ka mbangu lowu. Endlelo ra ndzavisiso wa risima wu tirhisiwile eka ndzavisiso lowu ku lavisisa na ku valanga mitokoto ya vapfuni va le mindyangwini na mavonelo ya vona ya vuhlayiseki na nxaniso eka mivangu ya vona yo tirha. Tiinthavhiyu leti nga na xivumbekohafu ti endliwile na 16 wa vapfuni va le mindyangwini na mune wa tiofixiyali ta maphorisa, leti ti nga tikhomandara ta mitlawa, eka Vukorhokeri bya Maphorisa bya Afrika-Dzonga (SAPS) eBrooklyn. 16 wa vapfuni va le mindyangwini va hlawuriwile hi ndlela ya muhulahula eka hofisi ya Senthara ya Malawulelo na Nxopaxopo wa Vuxokoxoko bya Vugevenga (CIMAC) eBrooklyn. Endlelo ra masampulelo lama nga na xikongomelo ri tirhisiwile. Mirungulo ya vatekaxiave va ndzavisiso yi paluxe mitivomianakanyo ya xivangelo leyi byariweke eka mitokoto ya vapfuni va le mindyangwini hi ku tirhisa swivonisi swa vona. Ndzavisiso lowu wu paluxa leswaku ku va eka xiyimo xa nxaniso swi na switandzhaku swa ntivomiehleketo swa nkarhi wo leha naswona swi vumba mavonelo lama xandziweke ya nchavo wa vugevenga. Hi ku engetela, ku na vuxaka byo tiya exikarhi ka nchavo wa vugevenga, dizayini ya mbangu lowu akiweke wa xiyimo xa le hansi, mbulavurisano wa swivumbeko swa vaakandhawu leswi nga enelangiki na nsindziso wa nawu lowu nga tirhiki kahle. Ku aka ehenhla ka swikumiwa swa ndzavisiso lowu, swibumabumelo swa ndzavisiso wa nkarhi lowu taka swi nyikiwile.

Bantfu baseNingizimu Afrika bakhatsatekile ngelizinga lelisetulu lebugebengu neludlame eveni. Kugcekezwa kwetindlu nekuntjontja kungemacala lavame kakhulu takhamuti letibuekana nawo, nanobe tibalobalo tikhombisa kwehla kancane kwelinani lemacala labikiwe. Bugebengu bemphahla nekuntjontja kusisongo lesikhulu ekuphepheni emsebenzini futsi, ngenca yaloko, kubangela kwesatjwa kwebugebengu. Lolucwaningo beluhlose kuhlola kutsi basebenti basetindlini babukana kangakanani nekuhlukumeteka emsebentini nekutsi loku kuyitsintsa njani imibono yabo ngebugebengu. Lucwaningo lolukhulu ngebugebengu, kwesatjwa kwebugebengu kanye nekuhlukunyetwa akukanaki kuphenya ngemiphumela yekuhlukunyetwa emsebentini kulesimo. Kusetjentiswe indlela yelucwaningo lwebunyenti kulesifundvo kute kuphenywe futsi kucutjungulwe lwati lwebasebenti basetindlini kanye nemibono yabo ngekuphepha kanye nekuhlukunyetwa etindzaweni labasebenta kuto. Kwentiwe tingcoco letingakahleleki ngalokuphelele nebasebenti basetindlini labangu-16 kanye netikhulu temaphoyisa letine, letibaphatsi bemacembu, kuMbutfo Wemaphoyisa waseNingizimu Afrika (i-SAPS) eBrooklyn. Basebenti basetindlini labangu-16 bakhetfwe ngalokungakahleleki ehhovisi lase-Brooklyn Crime Information Management and Analysis Centre (CIMAC). Kusetjentiswe indlela yekusampula lehlosiwe. Kulandzisa kwebahlanganyeli belucwaningo kukhombisa imibono leyimbangela legcile kutipiliyoni tebasebenti basetindlini ngekusebentisa lwati lwabo. Lucwaningo luveta kutsi kuhlukunyetwa kunemiphumela yesikhatsi lesidze yekutsikameteka kwengcondvo futsi kudala umbono lohlaneketelwe wekwesatjwa kwebugebengu. Ngetulu kwaloko, kunekuchumana lokucinile phakatsi kwekwesaba bugebengu, kuhlelwa kwesimondzawo setakhiwo lokungekuhle, kusebentelana kwetinhlaka temphakatsi lokungenele kanye nekuphocelelwa kwemtsetfo lokungasebenti kahle. Kwakha kumiphumela yalolucwaningo, kuniketwa tincomo telucwaningo lwakusasa