ArticlesMediaCorrectional Services, Criminal JusticeA Safe Place to HideLast year's Christmas Day assassination of a married couple Yusuf and Fahiema Enous who were to testify as witnesses in a Pagad related bombing trial made headline news for a couple of important reasons. On top of the horrific nature of the act that left a four-month-old baby lying in her dead mothers arms, the event was particularly newsworthy as… Read More CSVRFebruary 20, 2001
ArticlesMediaPolicingRacism, Brutality and Corruption are the Key Human Rights Challenges Facing the Transformation of the SAPSAn appreciation of human rights has failed to take proper root throughout the SAPS despite the transformation that has so far taken place. Key indicators that reflect this unfortunate reality can be found in the problems of racism, brutality and corruption that presently confront the SAPS. Huge restructuring exercises have taken place resulting in different uniforms, a de-militarised rank system,… Read More CSVRDecember 10, 2000
ArticlesMediaPolicingPutting an End to Police CriminalityThe recent dog unit incident highlighted a number of problems confronting police transformation. While much of the attention was on the serious issue of racism in the police, some of the other broad challenges confronting the transformation of the SAPS also emerged in the scandal. Gareth Newham argues that to really tackle these problems, at the very minimum an effective… Read More CSVRDecember 7, 2000
ArticlesMediaGender-based ViolenceStop Hijacking a Hard-won DayOn November 25 1993, International Day of No Violence Against Women, a tiny crowd of 10 took to the streets. By November 25 1999, public opinion had changed so much that hundreds of people turned out for protests, and government departments allocated budgets for events to commemorate the day. Yet the growing awareness of November 25 has clouded its purpose… Read More CSVRNovember 19, 2000
ArticlesMediaGender-based ViolenceViolence Lurks in State ServicesQueues for state services are the embodiment of indifference to those who wait, with disrespect and apathy often the only rewards. Consider this incident during our monitoring of the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act. Ms X arrived at the Johannesburg courts to apply for a protection order against her abusive partner. She had earlier been to a hospital, where… Read More CSVROctober 22, 2000
ArticlesMediaPolicingYou Won't Get Far in a Broken Car! Focus on Internal Control and Discipline in the PoliceBarely a week goes by without the appearance of a number of media stories reporting on actual or alleged incidents of police criminality or misconduct. Whether its official reports detailing police involvement in taxi criminality or dismissive behaviour from police in the community service center, the problem seems endless. Considering that the first attempts at transforming and improving the professionalism… Read More CSVROctober 1, 2000
