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The frequent and fatal use of force by law enforcement emphasised the need for greater transparency and accountability, crime experts said.
Violence monitor Mary de Haas expressed concern about police conduct in KwaZulu-Natal, and raised questions about the effectiveness of current oversight mechanisms.
“The biggest concern is that we cannot determine whether or not police members were justified in shooting all these people dead, especially given the unacceptable lack of public information about which units were involved,” she said.
While police have to defend themselves, the current rate of shoot-outs in the province was not a solution to crime and can perpetuate it, the researcher said.
“With the widespread corruption in the Saps, some officers may deliberately kill for various reasons and can get away with it.
“Dead suspects cannot be questioned about where they got their guns and ammunition from or who their collaborators are.”
De Haas said the recent police shoot-outs in KZN raised important questions about proper firearms training for officers. Last year, 142 people were killed by police in KZN, compared to 104 in 2020.
De Haas called for the police minister to establish an independent inquiry into the recent shootings, either by a small group of experts or a retired judge.
“There needs to be a check to ensure that all members are properly trained, through accredited courses, in using the guns they carry, as there have been reports of a lack of shooting skills among many officers,”
De Haas said Gareth Newham, head of the governance, crime and justice division at the Institute for Security Studies, said professional police departments internationally have rigorous oversight when officers are involved in shootings.
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“There needs to be a fresh set of eyes on what happened,” he said.
“They can evaluate whether there were ways for the police to engage with suspects that could have avoided the shoot-out and loss of life,” Newman said.
“It’s a way of reviewing how the police handle these situations and improving operations to enhance the safety of all.”
Preventing police actions from evolving into extrajudicial killings, reminiscent of apartheid-era policing, was important, he said.
It can lead to increased violence and tension between police and criminal gangs, as seen in Brazil and Mexico.
“Although only specialised police units might be responsible for most of the killings, criminal networks and gangs tend to view all police as the enemy.
“They may start shooting at the police, believing they will be shot at or killed if they see officers.”
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The intelligence and detective capabilities, particularly within the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), need to be strengthen, the experts said.
According to reports, the directorate has 164 investigators, each carrying 317 cases (338 in KZN).
This raised concerns about how swiftly these killings will be investigated.
Adequate manpower and resources were vital for effectively carry out its duties, ensuring transparency and preventing police misconduct, they said.
“There is a need for an inspecting judge for Ipid, who could coordinate such investigations,” De Haas said.
“Most investigators lack the requisite skills in all these areas.”
Criminal expert William Els of ISS emphasised a holistic approach requires collaboration with other departments and the development of short-, medium-, and long-term strategies.
“The minister of police has identified tackling corruption as a priority, but this requires concrete actions, not just rhetoric,” Els said.
“Trust in the police can be restored by curbing corruption, ensuring effective training, increasing manpower, and professionalising the force.”
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