The lead sponsor of Ghana’s controversial anti-LGBTQ+ Bill, known as the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, Samuel George, has alleged that the high crime rate in South Africa can be attributed to the legalisation of homosexuality.
This assertion was made by George while speaking for the bill on the Breakfast Central on News Central TV in Nigeria. This show was uploaded on the News Central YouTube channel.
George, buttressing his point, said that every country that has embraced homosexuality has a growing crime rate.
“Look, even on the African continent, which country has the highest crime rate? South Africa, why? Because they’ve embraced homosexuality, one of the growing factors in that country. Look at every country that has embraced this and look at what has happened to their crime rate.”
George, who’s among six legislators championing this cause through a Private Member’s motion, made this claim after Ghana’s parliament recently approved the contentious bill aimed at curtailing LGBTQ+ rights, drawing condemnation from human rights activists.
The legislation imposes a jail term of up to three years for identifying as LGBTQ+ and five years for promoting their activities.
Despite receiving the overwhelming support of the two major political parties in Ghana’s legislature, the bill hangs in the balance. Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has indicated he will not assent to the bill until the Supreme Court rules on it based on legal actions taken by some private citizens.
In a bid to promote truth in public discourse, DUBAWA decided to ascertain whether Sam George’s claims were true.
Verification
Data from Macrotrends illustrates a troubling journey of crime rate fluctuations in South Africa over the past two decades. Each year, from significant spikes to notable declines, presents its unique story.
Notably, in 2005, before the legalisation of gay activities in 2006, the crime rate decreased by 2.34%. This period marked a pivotal moment in the country’s social landscape, yet crime rates continued to ebb and flow. Fast forward to recent years, 2021 saw a sharp 23.26% increase in crime compared to the previous year, while 2020 recorded a 7.48% decrease. These variations paint a vivid picture of maintaining public safety and security challenges.
Despite occasional dips, the overarching trend indicates an ongoing struggle against criminal activities.
According to the Institute for Security Studies, in the first quarter of 2019, the South African Police Service (SAPS) recorded 402,023 incidents of what it calls’ 17 community-reported serious crimes.’
This category highlights all the main violent and property-related crimes, from murder to shoplifting. In the second quarter of 2023, 371,368 cases were recorded – 8% down from 2019.
On 30 May 2023, Bheki Cele, South Africa’s Minister of Police, disclosed the country’s quarterly crime statistics.
Within a mere three months, over 6,000 individuals fell victim to homicide, equating to nearly three deaths every hour.
Concurrent rises in attempted murder, assault, and vigilantism further highlighted the severity of the situation.
A closer examination of the data from Bheki Cele underscores a populace grappling with immense pressure from social tensions, wealth inequality, and organised crime. None of these crimes was linked to homosexual acts.
Major General Sekhukhune, the head of Police Crime Research and Statistics, explained during a presentation on 30 May 2023, that 872 of the murders stemmed from disputes, misunderstandings, road rage, and provocations. Again, none of this was linked to the practices of members of the LGBTQI+ community.
In addition to all these factors and data available, South Africa’s crime rate also shot up due to xenophobia. While xenophobia undoubtedly remains a significant issue in South Africa, crime in the country is multifaceted and influenced by various social, economic, and historical factors.
The country grapples with high levels of violent crime, including murder, assault, robbery, and sexual violence, which affect South Africans and foreign nationals alike. These crimes are often rooted in complex social and economic dynamics, including poverty, unemployment, inequality, and the legacy of apartheid.
According to an international organisation known as Human Rights Watch, in April 2022, a Zimbabwean in Diepsloot, north of Johannesburg, was stoned and set on fire. In 2008, black South Africans torched huts belonging to foreigners in their townships, killing 62 people. The outrage sparked by the wave of hate killings was widespread.
The platform Xenowatch, developed by the African Center for Migration and Society (ACMS) at the University of Witwatersrand, collects data on crimes against foreigners. They recorded 1,038 attacks on migrants, 661 deaths and 5,131 shops looted since 1994. Xenowatch says this is almost certainly an underestimation, as not every case is reported.
Regarding the legalisation of homosexual activities, it is important to note that South Africa is one of the few countries in Africa where same-sex relationships are legal and protected by law. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996 explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and affirms the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.
While there may be pockets of prejudice and discrimination against LGBTQ+ communities, attributing the country’s crime rate to the legalisation of homosexual activities ignores the broader social determinants of crime.
Conclusion
Based on the evidence gathered by our fellow, the claim by Sam George that homosexuality legalisation is one of the growing factors contributing to the high crime rate in South Africa is false.
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