An extraordinary view of Safety Statistics in South Africa:

The following statistics were extracted from the CIA World Fact book:

1.    SA has an estimated population of 49 052 489 people.
2.    SA has the 8th highest death rate in the world at 16.99 deaths per 1000 population. Afghanistan in comparison, while in serious armed conflict is only 17.8 / 1000.
3.    The life expectancy in SA for all populations is 49 years while Afghanistan is only slightly lower at 44 years.
4.    The SA population growth rate is 0.281% compared to Afghanistan at 2.5%


It is quite clear that South Africa is statistically a really dangerous country. Currently our safety statistics compares well with Afghanistan while the Police statisticians prefer comparisons with Russia. All of these comparisons are with countries very low on the safety scale thereby obscuring SA’s putrid safety performance to the untrained eye.

In addition to the above “foreign” opinion of the South African State, general media also commented as follows: “A study by Harvard researchers a year ago stated that the South Africa AIDS Policy was responsible for 365000 pre-mature deaths.” 

To be loyal but fair, Multiply Safety endeavoured to establish its own statistics source in order to evaluate the CIA Fact book figures above. The following apply:

1.    Between 1998 and 2007 South African deaths increased by 75% (760530 deaths in 2007). This is more than most countries growth rates which supports the finding that the number of people dying in SA is on the increase or, in other words, extraordinary.
2.    Of all the people that died during 2007, 46% was HIV related and HIV people seem to be dying faster than expected (348114  HIV related deaths in 2007)
3.    The effect of industry on this exorbitant death rate, measured in terms of work related fatalities was only 0.04% (332 deaths in 2007). Despite such a small percentage, industry has improved work related fatalities by an additional 45% since 1998.
4.    Non-work related external fatalities have on the other hand increased by 4.15% since 1998 (64820 deaths in 2007). 

The Multiply Safety statistics source confirms the CIA Fact book finding that South Africa is a dangerous country. It also confirms that the major cause of this condition is the HIV/AIDS syndrome.

In terms of externally caused fatalities it is clear that non-work related causes are critical. Non-work deaths include transport fatalities, murders and homicides. The deduction can therefore be made that industry is performing admirably while Government is performing badly.

Since a work related fatality is so remote, it does not make any sense for Government to stop economic production of a mine or a factory. In fact, the implementation of punitive action can now be used against Government Officials that fail in their duty to make the country safer.  

According to this data source, Government Officials could be 196 times more likely to have caused external deaths than their Industrial counterparts. Exploring this viewpoint engenders interesting but illuminating possibilities to manage safety.

For example, Industry should establish its own Inspectorate to inspect and stop Government activities.

With respect to natural deaths for example, another approach to manage the HIV/AIDS epidemic is to classify it as an externally caused fatality. This should lead to regulations criminalizing the HIV sexual transmittance in support of the constitution that emphasizes our right to life.

If Government, the ANC, the South African Communist Party and COSATU is actually serious about the constitution they brag about, then the onus is on them and specifically the Presidential Office, to improve the safety of South Africans and those visiting this rich country.

This can be done by establishing first of all, a safety policy for the South African Government.