ISS: South African police under pressure to respond to violence & instability

South African police are under pressure to contain rampant violence in the country but they don’t have the capacity to deal with the underlying causes.

So said the head of African Future and Innovation at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Jakkie Cilliers.

He spoke to Africa Melane on Tuesday.

This comes after a violent service delivery protest in Tembisa where the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) confirmed that at least two demonstrators were shot dead on Monday.

EMDP said one of the deceased was caught in a crossfire with the cops and other demonstrators.

According to reports, four people have so far died.

Cilliers added that he remained hopeful after police minister Bheki Cele and police commissioner Fannie Masemola announced a back-to-basics approach to policing to deal with the key structural issues within the police force and criminal justice system.

“There is some light,” he said.

With violence frequently flaring up in the country, Cilliers said police may feel under attack and desperate to deal with social crises.

He said that this could be the reason for the violent reaction of the EMPD towards protesters adding that he feared that it might continue.

Jakkie Cilliers, head of African Future and Innovation – Institute for Security Studies:

We need to resolve this through a systematic approach that regains some of the space that the criminals have gained in South Africa. But this doesn’t absolve what has happened but I’m afraid that there’s immense pressure on the police to respond to some of the violence and instability that is happening. So, I’m afraid we’re going to see more of this.

Cilliers said that the police, however, could not fix the underlying issues that plague the country such as the rising cost of living, poverty, inequality, and unemployment.

Jakkie Cilliers, head of African Future and Innovation – Institute for Security Studies:

There’s a lot to be fixed in the police… but the police can’t fix the underlying challenges.. for that, we look towards broader government and business interventions and that means we need to get a facilitating environment.

-EWN

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