New research by the invaluable South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) indicates that murder rates in South Africa are actually down 30% since 1994-1995. This news flies counter to the stubborn narrative of South African crime escalating out of control. It also should provide something of a palliative for those wringing their hands over whether or not crime is going to make next year’s World Cup a bloodbath. (It should. But it won’t. The naysayers will say nay. What else would we expect them to do?) For those who want to lose themselves in a mass of data about crime in South Africa, I refer you to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) webpage on that topic.