Address SANDF and police heavy-handedness, Ramaphosa

A side-effect of the coronavirus lockdown is that, in many places, crime has reduced significantly. Admissions to casualty departments around the country are also down.

Some are attributing the decline in violence to the effective ban on the sale of alcohol … although President Cyril Ramaphosa noted, correctly, that, despite – or perhaps because of – the lockdown, gender-based violence (GBV) still remained at unacceptably high levels.

He also warned that the law system was “not on leave” and that criminals would still be brought to book.

It was a great pity that in his missive, Ramaphosa ignored the reports of violence being meted out by the security forces to those perceived to be violating the lockdown restrictions. These assaults – and the demeaning acts citizens are being made to perform as “punishment” – are being documented regularly by bystanders with cellphone cameras.

Though Ramaphosa may be able to imply – through his own distance from his security ministers – some measure of “plausible deniability”, the reality is that it is doubtful the violence is the result of “cowboy” ministers or army and police commanders. The ANC has always operated as a collective and still does.

A forceful approach is needed – on occasion – to enforce regulations which are intended to be for the greater good. South Africans frequently don’t care about others and they also don’t listen.

However, none of that – nor the fact that we are in an unprecedented crisis – means we can toss aside our constitution and its commitment to human rights.

More worrying, though, the heavy-handed actions of our cops and soldiers could breed a spirit of opposition and possibly even revolt – which may burst to the surface as the socio-economic situation deteriorates because of lockdown.

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