'Brixton is as crime-ridden as Cape Town' says South African police chief

Left: Commissioner Bheki Cele.

The South African commissoner has ruffled some feathers within the London 'black community'.

Why is Brixton so crime ridden?

Brixton is the Civic centre of Lambeth.




Lambeth demoghraphics

54.0%White British
2.7% White Irish
9.0% Other White
1.8% White & Black Caribbean
0.7% White & Black African
0.9% White & Asian
1.2% Other Mixed
2.3% Indian
1.1% Pakistani
1.0% Bangladeshi
0.9% Other Asian
10.2% Black Caribbean
9.6% Black African
1.8% Other Black
1.3% Chinese
1.3% Other

The Black Voice reports - THE SOUTH African police chief investigating the murder of British newlywed Anni Dewani, has claimed that south London's crime rate is just as bad as those in Cape Town.

Commissioner Bheki Cele made the comparison when asked by a British journalist whether Cape Town was safe destination for tourists following the murder of Mrs Dewani's on Nov 13.

Ms Dewani was shot dead after the taxi she and her husband Shrien Diwani were travelling in was hijacked in a slum area of Cape Town.

The journalist, said he was representing 'all UK newspapers' and said that he was asking for an assurance no more tourists would be killed there.

Mr Cele reacted angrily to the journalist's line of questioning and referred to Britain as 'not crimeless' and claimed that during a recent trip to London, his driver ‘literally refused’ to take him through Brixton, ‘You (in Britain) are not crimeless,’

He said: “We should not come here as if we are spotless in our own countries. I’m simply saying we are dealing with an international phenomenon. You are not crimeless. Don’t talk as if you are crimeless”

However, 24-year-old Samantha Robison from Brixton strongly refutes Mr Cele’s comparisons, claiming that Brixton is a safe area at any time of the day.

She told Voice Online: “I’ve lived in Brixton all my life and what the South African police are saying is false! Brixton has seen a lot of changes and is even safe to walk around in the night much less drive into.

The south Londoner, who has lived in Brixton all of her life, continued: “Under no circumstances can Brixton be compared to Cape Town, Brixton is culturally diverse and people are very friendly.”

Meanwhile, Xolile Mngeni yesterday appeared in court charged with robbery and the murder of 28-year-old Mrs Dewani, from Bristol. He was remanded and the case was adjourned. The name of a second co-accused man has not been released. Article