There’s no doubt that the crime stats in South Africa are high. Even the poshest schools seem to have a crime problem. 

But, what would you do if you saw a crime happening right in front of you?

CCTV caught footage of a brazen mugging next to the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The video shows a group of men approaching the victim. They tussle and the men rob him of his backpack.

The mugged man seems to pass out, at which point the attackers lay him on the ground and search his pockets. He then regains consciousness and tries to fight them off.

When the mugging is over the perpetrators casually walk away. Apart from the violence of the crime, the most disturbing part of this video is the level of chill displayed by the people walking past. After the perps leave, the victim gestures to those around him for help and no one so much as glances at him. Take a look:

Apparently, crime is becoming so commonplace in Jozi, that when you see someone getting attacked, you just go about your business.

Where were the police, you ask? News24  reports that:

Officers will be deployed at the Small Street Mall in Johannesburg on a daily basis following a violent mugging in broad daylight on Tuesday.

“Due to the incident yesterday, because of the mugging, more than 20 officers will be deployed into the Small Street Mall on a daily basis from today, as well as undercover members,” JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar told News24 on Wednesday.

Better late than never, seeing as this isn’t the first time something like this has happened:

…advocate Modise Khoza said he was frightened after he saw the video. He confirmed that some of his colleagues had been mugged on that street.

“It frightens me. Safety should not be experienced only in Sandton, but also here in town. I am even afraid to walk to court alone,” he said.

Advocate Ahmed Cajee, who works at the nearby Pitje Chambers, said his firm had been trying to engage with City officials for a few years about improving visibility and making the area safer.

Police will be in plain clothes, so as to blend in and intervene should something like this happen again. They are also urging the public to report crime when they see it happening, instead of just sauntering by.

[source:news24]