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My safety, your security, our country

Advice abounds on how to secure our homes to ensure the safety of ourselves, our loved ones and our possessions. Yet, why are some countries more prone to crime than others? How does Namibia compare in the greater scene of peace versus crime?
Researching the topic was not easy – according to the World Economic Forum, Namibia is too inconsequential to even be monitored. Crime statistics are compiled by the Namibian Police, and not specifically by the Namibia Statistics Agency or AfroBarometer. Without solid facts, it is difficult to compare Namibia to other countries in terms of crime or quality of life.

A little-known website, Numbeo, boasts international statistics. It is a crowd-sourced global database of reported consumer prices, perceived crime rates, pollution, traffic, quality of health care and the like. You and I can participate via questionnaires and help build public opinion figures. Yet this is merely a collection of perceptions.

According to the 87 participants who have rated Windhoek on Numbeo’s website, Windhoek’s crime is very high and has increased over the past three years. The survey’s question on whether the public is worried about their homes being burgled, was answered by “very highly worried.” Similarly, problems with property crimes, such as vandalism and theft, were rated “high”.
A sober warning also comes from OSAC, the Overseas Security Advisory Council, to tourists planning to visit Namibia: “Residential break-ins remain prevalent, and armed robberies are on the rise. Criminals generally target unoccupied residences; however, home invasions resulting in violence do occur when criminals encounter residents. This type of crime increases in frequency during the December-January holiday season and during Easter week, as many people are away from home.”


Guessing the reason for housebreaking and theft is not too difficult – where haves and have nots co-habitate, the imbalance in wealth is the magnet. Nature’s laws always apply, such as the need for balance and the eventual decay of everything. Ecclesiastes 3 (World English Bible) declares ‘’For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that complex, ordered arrangements tend to become simpler and more disorderly with time. Ultimately, the universe is experiencing an irreversible downward trend. It may be that the fabric of society is unravelling, and that crime is a key pointer.

Should we just shrug and say Que sera sera – whatever will be, will be? Or should we try and counter chaos to ensure safety and security? Each society creates laws, superimposed on the spiritual laws given to all from the beginning. It is up to us to judge our own contribution to the success or not of safety and security in Namibia.

Christine Stoman