In SAfrica, crime complaints come in wheelbarrows

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 9 (Reuters) South African trade union Solidarity is so fed up with crime it has ordered 25 wheelbarrows to deliver at least 25,000 letters of complaint to President Thabo Mbeki.

Mbeki, accused by critics of living in a state of denial over rampant crime, will deliver his state of the nation speech today and is expected to outline a strategy on the issue, which has raised fresh alarm bells.

Solidarity said in a statement it ordered the wheelbarrows ''after the office of the president denied it had received any letters and even expressed doubt over the existence of the letters''.

The union said it is prepared to ask an international accounting firm to make checks.

''Instead of playing politics and denying the existence of the letters (as the president denies the existence of crime), the presidency must rather listen to the frustration of the people of South Africa,'' said Solidarity.

Mbeki's government often argues that it is difficult to extend post-apartheid law enforcement across an entire country when the police structure was originally set up only to protect whites.

Solidarity set up a website www.dearpresident.co.za urging members of the public to send letters of complaints to Mbeki's office.

Reuters PDM KP1335