South Africa has no civil war but violence is one of the top five causes of death in the country, according to a study published by The Lancet, the Sunday Times reported.<\/p>\n
According to the report, South Africa was the only country outside the Latin American and Caribbean region to make this claim.<\/p>\n
People most at risk of dying because of violence were at the prime of their lives and a group being decimated by HIV.<\/p>\n
In 2013, almost 200,000 people between the ages of 15 and 49 died of violence, Aids-related illness and road injuries. Suicides surged more than 200 percent last year, compared with 1990, the newspaper reported.<\/p>\n
Institute for Security Studies senior research fellow Dr Chandre Goud said violence was one of the most serious challenges facing South Africa.<\/p>\n
“High levels of violence undermine investor confidence, drive up costs in the health sector and have a negative impact on… society,” she was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n
“Reducing violence is possible, but it requires a comprehensive national plan, adequate resources and partnerships between the government and civil society. South African society also needs to change attitudes and social norms that encourage violence and discrimination.”<\/p>\n
According to the study, violence was the leading cause of death in El Salvador, Venezuela and Colombia but for a majority of the 188 countries in the study it did not feature.<\/p>\n
In South Africa the leading cause of death in 2013 was HIV\/Aids, then lower respiratory infection, tuberculosis was third and diarrhoea was fourth, the Sunday Times reported.<\/p>\n
Violence was the fifth highest cause of death.<\/p>\n
South Africa\u2019s most violent city<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The economic impact of violence in South Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n