Despite a constitution that bans torture, South Africa's police force is found to use suffocation techniques reminiscent of apartheid-era abuses, highlighting ongoing failures in justice reform and police accountability.
South African Police Continue Apartheid-Era Torture Methods
South African Police Continue Apartheid-Era Torture Methods
A shocking report reveals persistent use of suffocation techniques by South African police against suspects, contradicting the post-apartheid government's promised reforms.
In a troubling revelation, a New York Times investigation has exposed that South African police forces continue to utilize a notorious interrogation technique known as "tubing," which involves suffocating suspects. This practice harks back to the brutal methods employed during apartheid when the white-led police force terrorized Black South Africans.
Post-apartheid, the nation instituted a constitution that explicitly prohibited such torture and committed to international treaties aimed at preventing these abuses. Yet, data analyzed from 2012 to 2023 indicates that an average of three complaints per week have been lodged against police for using this suffocation method during interrogations.
This stark contrast raises alarms about a government once led by freedom fighters—those who played pivotal roles in the liberation of Black South Africans—now presiding over a police force that is accused of inflicting similar atrocities. Khulu Mbatha, a member of the African National Congress (ANC) during the liberation era, expressed shock over the findings, recalling the ANC's pledge at its ascendency to power in 1994: “No soul should be subjected to that.”
South Africa grapples with some of the highest murder rates globally, and the challenges of addressing rampant crime often lead to a culture of impunity within the police ranks. The persistence of these torture methods emphasizes a grim reality in a country striving to recover from its oppressive past.
