What happens in our homes influences the norms of our society and what happens in our society impacts on our homes.

Through active engagement on issues of masculinity and behaviours, ordinary South Africans can positively contribute to peaceful and nurturing homes where children are protected and their rights are enabled. In so doing, we can all play a part in articulating a cycle of peace and safety, beginning in the home with positive gender behaviours and role modelling.

It should be the long term goal of society to increase opportunities and hope for all young people irrespective of income group, race or geographic location.

South Africa's youth are exposed high levels of crime and violence in their homes, communities and schools. They are also at risk of drug and alcohol dependence.  Involvement in this area of intervention will assist in promoting the potential of our youth in building a better South Africa.  All of us can contribute to building the resilience of the country's youth and unleashing the creativity and enthusiasm of young South Africans to take back our future.

Alcohol

is the third largest contributor to death and disability after unsafe sex and interpersonal violence… Civil society and the community in general need to become less apathetic about alcohol abuse.

National spend on alcohol and widespread alcohol abuse makes South Africans vulnerable to victimisation, increases violent conflict, entrenches poverty and contributes to child abuse and neglect.

By engaging in issues such as enforcement, the reduction of alcohol outlets, alternative entrepreneurial activities and opportunities for retailers, urban planning and other strategies that encourage consumers to make better spending choices, South Africans can contribute to a significant reduction in crime.

The opportunity to promote recovery lies in each community responding to those affected by violence with care and compassion.

Millions of victims survive crime each year in South Africa but are left with the difficult task of recovering from the trauma. By engaging in initiatives that promote and improve access to support services, and those that aim to redefine the relationship between victims and offenders, we can all contribute to the healing of a nation by restoring the confidence of victims and offenders in building a safe South Africa.

Firearms are the leading cause of violent death in South Africa with approximately 48% of the total 18 545 murders in South Africa being firearm related as well as 80% of attempted murders.

Violence in South Africa cannot be separated from the ready availability of guns and our propensity for using them. South Africa can be made safer by linking government and civil society efforts in areas of effective policing and management of firearms, challenging the culture of gun ownership and creating gun free zones.

South Africa's history of struggle against apartheid, our vibrant civil society and media, and the daily generosity of tens of thousands of individual volunteers, suggest a deep commitment to improving the life of all in this country. There is little doubt that across the board, South Africans are willing and able to contribute towards social upliftment."

Every one of us has the ability to contribute in a constructive and appropriate way to making South Africa safe. We can engage in a variety of actions that harness professional skills, the capacity of corporate initiatives, trade unions, faith based organisations, community based groups and associations and allow each of us to do participate in building a safe South Africa.

Imprisoning high numbers of offenders has not been demonstrated to enhance public safety or act as a deterrent to would-be offenders; the evidence points in the opposite direction.

Those among us who commit crime cannot be wished away as the sole responsibility of the prison system. This group will explore ways to support and rebuild the lives of the many offenders who are members of our families, communities and society. It will develop ways to prepare families to deal with ex-offenders, as well as defining partnerships between government and civil societies to ensure that interventions are sustained and effective. Such interventions will include programmes dealing with first time offenders, young offenders, rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners, community sentences, diversion, and restorative justice, with a focus on what works and what does not, innovation, and how to increase the scale of initiatives while maintaining standards for service delivery.