R2K strongly condems SANDF and Police violence during the COVID-19 Lockdown

Photo: Twitter.com

By Thami Nkosi

The Right2Know Campaign is concerned about the recent rise in reported cases of brutality meted out on members of the public by members of the South African National Defence Force, the South African Police Service and the Different Metro Police Departments across the big metropolitan areas of our country. 

The president missed an important opportunity on Monday with his address to caution and reprimand some of the elements within law enforcement agencies who view this opportunity as one that affords them to over exert their powers over the general public and take the law into their own hands. 

Although we fully understand the need for all citizens to observe the lockdown as evoked and instructed under the Disaster Management Act by the president and under full implementation by the National Command Council to assist the government coordinating efforts in curbing the spread of the deadly Corona Virus that has plunged our country into a disaster, we are concerned that certain elements within these law enforcement agencies see this as an opportunity to exercise unprecedented levels of power over the citizenry. 

We have witnessed the growing number of complaints against law enforcement agencies through the Independent Police Investigative Directorate and the Military Ombudsman that suggest there is a rise in such abuses since the implementation of the lockdown announced by the government in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the cases include members of the public losing their lives through unsanctioned actions of law enforcement officers which is a real travesty given the challenge that we are faced with. It shouldn’t be that the enforcement of the lockdown leads to regrettable loss of life and we strongly condemn these sorts of actions and call on the relevant oversight bodies to play their role and get to the bottom of these allegations 

Such acts have no place in our democratic dispensation and should be condemned with the necessary contempt they deserve. We CANNOT normalize such actions and we must be clear that these have no place in our society and are rightfully outlawed by our constitution. We have a long history of violence in our society and such actions can be very traumatic and send chilling effects to fostering the all important social cohesion that is much needed in response to the pandemic that confronts us as a nation.  

The deployment of the army and other law enforcement agencies has purely been on the basis of responding to implementing stringent but necessary measures to address and ensure we all observe the necessary mechanism put in place to reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19. We are aware that this to be a watershed moment where the citizens and law enforcement are called on to foster a cohesive alliance in waging a fight against the Corona Virus and not against each other. 

We understand the levels of frustrations and provocations that law enforcement may face, with daily breaches prescribed laws by citizens during this period but we are concerned that the response to such cannot be a violent one.We understand the role of law enforcement  to mean fostering corporation, adherence to and observing the law working in tandem with citizens and affected communities but we call on them to exercise all manner of restraint and rather enforce the law through arrests and not violently responding. Should anyone be found in contravention of the law, such individuals should be subjected to a court of law that will adjudicate on the matter and not for law enforcement officers to act in a manner that presents them as a court of law and meting out corporal sentences. 

The prevention of the spread and impact of Corona Virus that could have a devastating consequence on our public health system as well as the economy of this country. We do however caution against arbitrary use of force that equally poses a danger to the effectiveness of this lockdown and or corporation between the citizens and the law enforcement and securocrats. It would be a real travesty with the continuation of such action as this will lead to the deterioration and trust deficit between communities and law enforcement as this would render all our efforts fruitless. 

• We call on all law enforcement agencies and securocrats in his country to immediately cease from using any form of violence to ensure citizens observe the necessary prescribed laws in times of this disaster, and urge them to equally act within the armpits of the law. 

• We reiterate the call for law enforcement to respect the rights of citizens as enshrined in the constitution though suspended. 

• We call on IPID and the Military Ombuds to fully investigate the allegations and hold perpetrators accountable where they are guilty of such breaches of their code and the law

• We call on all law enforcement agencies to abide by the law and not be the ones that are punishing lawbreakers. The Disaster Management Act makes provision for people to be tried and convicted by the courts and we would urge the agencies to make use of these agencies as opposed to them taking the law into their own hands. 

• We call on both the public and law enforcement to refrain from provoking and or creating discontent in this critical period and work together to address the challenge we face. 

We are fully behind and support all the government efforts and measures put in place to try and address this pandemic. As a social movement, we do our part to assist with ensuring the communities follow the necessary safety precautions through education drives in communities. 

We expect law enforcement to enforce the law and not be antagonistic, through fostering a culture of dialogue and mediation to make sure that citizens corporate with them in ensuring a successful lockdown that will see the reduction in infections and deaths.