For example, in 2013, the ISS reported that “1,448 serving police officials had convictions for serious crimes ranging from murder to rape and assault.”(24) If the SAPS wants to increase its human resources base, it has to do so without compromising the quality of the police officers that are recruited. After the police shooting, many of the locals I spoke to in Eldorado Park echoed a popular refrain among coloured South Africans, “During apartheid we … Many cases are alleged to be of brutality; some cases are more than allegations, with official reports concluding that a crime was committed by police, with some criminal convictions for offences such as grievous bodily harm, planting evidence and … “A plea is hereby made for space to be given for the sanctioned investigation to unfold and be finalised soon. Mokuria saw her father get shot and killed by the police when she was 10. Advertising on Polity.org.za is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. In March 1960 police fired upon a crowd protesting against the pass laws in Sharpeville, killing at least 69 people and injuring many others. “What in the apartheid is this,” asked user @explicit_lut. This incident was filmed on a phone and the video immediately went viral on social media. Police brutality should not be examined in isolation. In the light of the history of brutality by the South African Police during apartheid there would appear to be considerable justification for the exploration of questions to do with police brutality in contemporary South Africa. It has to be considered in the broader socioeconomic and political context in which the police force operates. Sara Mokuria, co-founder of Mothers Against Police Brutality, stands by some sun flowers on a sunny day in Dallas. How Segregation Shapes Fatal Police Violence : Code Switch Unarmed black people are much more likely than unarmed whites to be fatally shot by the police… On the other hand, it is imperative to look beyond apartheid and work on creating a competent and skilled police force through the recruitment of properly qualified and trained individuals. On social media, many weighed in on the video, saying the police conduct was brutal and should be condemned. The National Development Plan recommends that the police code of conduct and code of professionalism be linked to promotion and discipline in the service, and that recruitment should attract competent, skilled professionals.(29). 'If I don’t make it, I love you all': Mom of newborn's last words before dying ... A bridge too far, as six Joburg Roads Agency officials are suspended. (21) ‘Warning lights flashing: A brutal police force with a reputation for corruption’, Institute for Security Studies, 21 August 2013, http://www.issafrica.org. And those who live among the world’s economic elite and those who survive on a few dollars a day don’t inhabit distinct worlds. You have one shot and it must be a kill shot.”(25) Such a controversial statement by a high-ranking minister is not only unfortunate, but can be seen as a catalyst in encouraging policemen to employ extreme violence and brutality. Bheki Cele needs to tame his boys now, they are out of control,”. (26) Plantive, C., ‘SA cops urged to aim for the head’, The Mail and Guardian, 22 July 2007, http://mg.co.za. In 1960, at the black township of Sharpesville, the police opened fire on a group of unarmed blacks associated with the Pan-African Congress (PAC), an offshoot of the ANC. News. Schools are divided into quintiles, from one to five; the poorest, in quintile one, struggle enormously with a lack of resources and support. Apartheid was a very violent system. (4) Ojeme, V., ‘Federal government demands action from South Africa over assaulted Nigerian’, The Vanguard, 13 March 2014, http://www.vanguardngr.com. According to a report by the ISS, the cases of police brutality brought against the SAPS in 2013 have had serious “consequences for the tax-payer as [SAPS] was facing civil claims valued at more than R480 million [US$ 46 million] in relation to assault, and R1.1 billion [US$ 100 million] related to shooting incidents. By Sukaina Ishmail Sep 11, 2020. We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library. Mbeki: Apartheid behind police violence Post-apartheid South Africa still faces immense challenges The South African Deputy President, Thabo Mbeki, has denounced recent police brutality and blamed it on the legacy of apartheid. In addition, the use of a sjambok by police officials is not only forbidden but unlawful. The other man appears to receive a few slaps from another officer. Please enter the email address that you used to register on Polity.org.za. Although this graph shows a slight decrease from 2010 in levels of criminal cases against the police as well as police-related deaths, the figures still remain unreasonably high. (19) Burger, J. and Adonis, C., 2008, ‘A watchdog without teeth’, Institute for Security Studies, http://www.issafrica.org. But it … South Africa in the apartheid era was marred by police brutality and arbitrary detentions. Ryan Leonora Brown, editor of the Africa Monitor blog, notes: South Africa now has the second widest gap between its rich and its poor in the world. (16) ‘Independent Police Investigative Directorate Annual Report 2012/2013’, IPID, August 2013, http://www.ipid.gov.za. (3) Parker, F., ‘Cops drag man to his death – for stopping traffic’, The Mail and Guardian, 1 March 2013, http://mg.co.za. Despite racial reconciliation that emerged after the end of the apartheid system, poor and black South Africans still … Some individuals have tried to justify the level of brutality by the South Current brutality of police and general policing standards in South Africa are unacceptable for a democratic country.      EMAIL THIS ARTICLE. The objective of this paper was to revisit the issue of police brutality in post-apartheid South Africa, since it has recently become a highly contextual topic with polarising views. On Apartheid, Police Brutality, and Internationalism. Commemoration for Ebrahim Carelse, bystander killed by apartheid police brutality. (9) ‘Violence comes from apartheid: Zuma’, News24, 15 February 2013, http://www.news24.com. (11) In the second case, on 26 February 2013, a Mozambican immigrant, Mido Macia, was arrested by the police for causing traffic congestion. COVID-19 lockdowns have made this approach “imperative … now the only thing we can do”, according to the country’s Ministry of Basic Education. (6) ‘Factsheet, South Africa: Official crime statistics for 2012/13’, Institute for Security Studies, September 2013, http://africacheck.org. (29) Ibid. These acts of defiance were met with police and state brutality. Leadership is another salient aspect that needs to be examined. Similar to what’s happening in America with rampant and racist police brutality, the South African Police force is still acting out the murderous and racist ways of the past. © 2021 Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. The high sign that rules this summer is increasing fragmentation. Although legislation does not condone police brutality, Raphaely reveals that police officers involved in brutality and human rights violations are rarely brought to book. The police force provides a prime example of the violence that is so prevalent in South Africa. “The experience of police brutality is something extremely common to the black South African experience,” says Solomzi Henry Moleketi, who stood outside the … Floyd’s death also emboldened a small number of people in Kenya to march and tell their own stories of injustice and brutality by police. The current culture of brutality and impunity that characterises its operations is not only unsustainable but also self-defeating, given that the primary duties of the police are to stamp out all forms of crime and protect the public. For now, the cases of police brutality stand at alarming levels. These and similar policies aim to resource more marginalised schools, universities and colleges with digital tools. In a bid at reform, the South African government began rebranding the department when apartheid came to … The Turn to Violence During 1959 and 1960, violence broke out in several South African cities. This was the finding of a two-year process in which a SAPS Policy Advisory Council had inspected three quarters of the country’s police stations.”(28) Political leaders, as well as the commissioners of the SAPS, need to lead by example, particularly in the statements that they issue concerning the modus operandi of the police. A multifaceted approach is therefore required in eradicating police brutality in South Africa. For South Africans who survived apartheid, the end of the brutal system was the birth of a new world, midwifed in large part by Nelson Mandela. Meaning, they must be held accountable for violating operational policy. Be that as it may, these resources have been in the hands of the white minority for a long time. Your responsibility is to serve and protect. Mass recruitment of police officers, while justifiable in the face of elevated levels of crime, should not result in the enlistment of poorly trained or unqualified officers. A video showing Western Cape police officers using a sjambok to beat up two unidentified men has sparked outrage on social media. Moreover, there is need to properly train new recruits as well those who are already active members of the police force, not just on how to investigate crimes but also how to conduct themselves as they discharge their duties. →, Polity.org.za is a product of Creamer Media.www.creamermedia.co.za, Other Creamer Media Products include:Engineering NewsMining WeeklyResearch Channel Africa, Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter. A total of 44 miners lost their lives and at least 78 others were injured. September 11, 2017. By: In On Africa IOA, SAVE THIS ARTICLE (7) Brown, R.L., ‘How violent is South Africa?’, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 February 2012, http://www.csmonitor.com. After the police shooting, many of the locals I spoke to in Eldorado Park echoed a popular refrain among coloured South Africans, “During apartheid we … The government responded to a series of popular uprisings and protests with police brutality, which in turn increased local support for the armed resistance struggle. (11) Chapple, I. and Barnett, E., ‘What’s behind South Africa’s mine violence?’, CNN, 14 September 2012, http://edition.cnn.com. By Audre Lorde. In many instances, the current violence that is prevalent in South Africa is attributed to the apartheid legacy, which was characterised by brutal and violent use of force by law enforcement agents. Mike van Graan, Executive Director of the African Arts Institute and UNESCO Technical Expert on the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, expounds, “While it is true that apartheid legacies remain manifested in many aspects of our lives, there are many choices that have been made and things that have occurred in a post-apartheid society which we would not have expected.”(10) Although violence played a pivotal part in the apartheid regime and in its final overthrow, there is need for South Africa to look beyond the violent past as it grapples with its ideals of creating a ‘rainbow nation’. One major issue associated with police brutality is that it negatively impacts the relationship between the police and the public. 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