2011 has brought about a new wave of police brutality and police-related murder not seen since the Apartheid era of South Africa. More and more people within the Southern land are now questioning whether they are able to trust the police services to protect them from crime, or whether those self-same police officers are more likely to contribute to an already-crime ridden society than assist its innocent members.
People will argue that one, two or three isolated incidents involving these most-relied-upon public servants is no cause for concern, whilst thousands of citizens are being assisted every day. Others will point to the current crime figures which might indicate that the job that the South African Police Force is doing is ineffectual and any further incidents involving its members is merely making things worse.
Recent Incidents of Police Violence
13 April 2011 - Protester Killed in Ficksburg, Free State
A 33-year-old man, Andries Tetani, was beaten by at least six members of the South African Police Services and shot in the chest with a rubber bullet. Tetani, who was one of a group protesting poor service delivery in Ficksburg, died shortly after the attack. Video footage was aired during a news report by the national broadcaster, the SABC, on the evening of the killing.
26 April 2011 - Woman Shot and Killed Outside Kempton Park Police Station
A 45-year-old Aston Manor woman, later identified as Jeanette Odendaal, was shot dead by a Kempton Park police officer, after she was involved in a collision with a stationery police vehicle outside a police station. The policeman, who allegedly believed a hijacking was taking place, has since been subjected to a psychological evaluation.
33-year-old Mr. Theuns Potgieter, of Silverton, was beaten by South African Police whilst having flat tyres repaired on his vehicle. Uniformed police officers arrived on the scene and relieved Mr. Potgieter of his firearm before ordering him to lie down. Another man, presumably a plain-clothed policeman, kicked Mr. Potgieter numerous times in the midriff, stamped on his head and punched him in the face. Mr. Potgieter was then also assaulted by one of the uniformed officers.
A Potential Reason for Police Violence
Police officers in South Africa are subjected to an arduous daily task of fighting crime that has escalated hugely over the past decade. Many of these officers have just completed their schooling and are inexperienced in their chosen line of work whilst others are purely overworked due to a shortage in Police staff. Many use alcohol or drugs as a replacement for psychological counselling, something that is largely lacking within the South African Police Services.
Dianne Kohler Barnard, Shadow Minister of Police for the Democratic Alliance, the official opposition to the current South African government, said the following via Facebook:
"There are very few SAPS psychologists, and debriefing by one after dealing with one of the terrible attrocities you refer to, is not mandatory, despite my having called again and again for it to be made so."
In light of recent events, questions should be raised concerning the lack of mandatory psychological sessions for policemen and women in the front line of fighting crime. Annual psychological assessments or evaluations could also restrict the damage that is currently occurring, especially seeing as so many South African police officers are taking their service weapons home with them after shifts. What has become an acceptable norm in many other countries appears to be lacking within the infrastructure of the South African Police Services.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa could not be contacted for comment.
Warren Potter - I am a 42 year old South African who has been writing since time began - it feels like it anyway. My freelance exploits have taken me to ...
