South Africa is one of the most crime plagued countries...

South Africa is one of the most crime plagued countries in the world with an annual murder rate of 52 people per 100,000 of the population and 104 rapes per 100,000, according to figures compiled by the South African Police. A government-sponsored survey released at the end of 1998 showed that one in five households suffered at least one crime. Full figures for 1997 showed that there were 24,588 murders, 52,160 cases of rape, 249,375 home burglaries and 13,011 car hijackings. It was also reported that recent statistics show that violent crime has mostly leveled off - but at high rates, with a murder or attempted murder every 12 minutes on average and a rape every 26 seconds on average. No public opinion polls have recently recorded the public's support for a restoration of the death penalty - but informal surveys support one taken two years ago that showed 71% favored a return to the practice of executions.