South African Government Profits from Crime?

Someone another news source commented on an article about a shoot-out taking place at the shopping centre and he/she brought up an interesting theory-

''a million home owners in Gauteng who pay for "armed crime reaction" where private security companies react AFTER the crime has taken place This service costs on average R250 p.m. Therefore 1,000,000 x R240.00 x 12 months x 14% VAT, generates R403 million in tax revenue for the SA Govt!

A car thief steals a R500,000 car and receives between R10,000 and R30,000 for his deed. The car owner is paid out by insurance and then purchases another similar vehicle, on which he pays 14% VAT of approx R70,000 as a direct result of crime. Who profited the most? The thief or the SA Govt?

We must begin with a mechanism whereby the SA Govt is forced to reconsider this unconstitutional and immoral practice of profiting from crime!

All South Africans should demand that all payments related to protection of life and property should be VAT free and Tax deductible! This principle should also apply to replacement of stolen property as well as estate duty. If a person dies as a result of crime we should also demand that estate duty not be paid. How much do you think the SA Govt. has made out of estate duty from the murders of 1300 South African farmers?

The S.A. Govt likes to compare us to overseas. Well overseas your safety and security is covered by your income tax and is tax deductible!

It is time that South Africans stood together and made the Govt. and public aware of the Govt's "income" from crime. In the meantime crime is the goose that lays the golden egg'' - news24 comment by ji .

Shoot out

Never looked at it that way.

Different context but yes all goverments profit from crime , penalties/fines , confiscation.Not to forget the proceeds from their own crimes and passing anti compeditive laws to anything that opposes them and their ill gotten gains.

Any time you want to know what's going on or why something is happening "Follow The Money".The crooks are always at the end of the money chain.
By the way nice icon change.

Guess all governments are criminals in some way. Ours profits from crime and America profits from war, i suppose.

Although really, that's still small change for them...
The budget speech apparently had a "Parliamentary salary" increase from 150 Billion to 300 Billion rands

which is 42 Billion in US dollars!!! Parliamentary salaries?!?!?! where do I sign up?? there is a little over 400 members of parliament right now, how can there BE even 1 Billion assigned to this

reply to post by SirMarkth


Should start considering a career in politics.
Pays a hell of a lot more than anything else in this country.

Sure the gov will find a way of spending all that money.