Economic inequality as a source of interpersonal violence was in the spotlight on Thursday last week (16 April 2015) as the Urban Futures Centre at DUT (UFC@DUT) hosted a panel discussion about this topic.

Held at the Engineering Science and Built Environment (ESBE) Boardroom, Steve Biko Campus, the presentation – hosted by Professor Geoffrey Thomas Harris from the Department of Public Management and Economics at DUT – saw Prof Harris shed light into the topic: Economic Inequality as a source of Interpersonal Violence: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa.

The session also saw Prof Harris attempt to answer the controversial question: why is South Africa so violent?

“It is not poverty that leads people to do crime. It is inequality. If in a society, people were poor together then that’s fine but when others are rich, people are more likely to feel disrespected, looked down upon, marginalised, excluded, frustrated and angry,” said Prof Harris.

Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa suggested that poverty does not correlate to the rate of homicide.

On the question: why is South Africa so violent? the Professor answered, “It is through the legacy of apartheid, including the common use of direct violence by the state and the migrant labour system which damaged the traditional mechanisms of social control. Also, (it is) the masculinity embedded culture in traditional society, limited skills in handling conflict and anger, poverty and economic inequality and exclusion,” said Prof Harris.

– Thobele Nzama

Pictured: Professor Geoffrey Thomas Harris from the Department of Public Management and Economics at DUT emphasises during his talk on Thursday last week (16 April 2015).