Attacks on and murders of police officers in South Africa (25):
1. Introduction:
The South African Police Service (SAPS) may have made news headlines for the
wrong reasons in the past such as the controversial debate on the use of
“deadly” force, the torturing of suspects, corruption within the police service and
the Marikana incident in 2012.
This has led to scrutiny by the media and the public.
However, such media attention on the use of force by the police should not
detract from the fact that policing remains a high-risk profession and that the
murder of police officials should be seen in a very serious light.
2. Definition of key concept(s):
Murder of a police officer:
Defined as the intentional causing of the death of a police official without a lawful
excuse.
Police officer/ official:
Is any person appointed by virtue of section 5.2 of the South African Police Service Act
68 of 1995 (referred to as the SAPS Act) or any other Act to serve in the SAPS.
3. Nature and extent of attacks on and murders of police officers:
Due to the nature (e.g. making dangerous arrests or dealing with violent
situations daily), policing remains a dangerous profession worldwide.
It has been claimed that South African police officers is 5 times more likely to be
murdered than their counterparts in the USA.
In South Africa more than 2000 police officers have been killed in within a
decade (since 1991 to approx. 2010).
It is safe to say that the murders of and assaults on police officers, whether in
South Africa or internationally remains a risk, as officers may experience a
higher risk of injury compared to types of victims.
Police officers constantly have to respond to dangerous situations such as
policing violent protest or making arrests in which a perpetrator might be
armed.
In such situations the officer is less likely to flee from the perpetrator than any
other type of victim.
The murder of off-duty police officers may be misleading in that many of them
are attacked while in uniform, either going to work or going home after their
shifts or even at their place of residence.
The murder of off-duty police officers also occurs in public places such as
restaurants, bars or even in shebeens.
There have also been incidents where police officers are killed while not on
official duty but where they “put themselves on duty” (e.g. react to or try to
prevent a crime in progress while possibly not in uniform or on duty).
In July 2014, 5 police officers were killed in the country in less than a week.
Media reports indicate that the Western Cape appears to have been the hardest
hit by such killings, with at least one death per month.
, 4. Motives and causes for attacks on and murders of police
officers:
To avoid arrest:
Police work is highly dangerous, and officials often work under difficult and
unsafe conditions.
They frequently have to respond to violent crimes-in-progress such as robberies
(at banks, shopping malls and even cash-in-transit heists), vehicle hijackings
and ATM bombings.
Criminals who are involved in these types of violent crimes will not hesitate to
shoot in order to avoid arrest.
Furthermore, officials may rush recklessly into a crime situation without giving
proper thought to their own safety.
Criminals’ attitude towards police:
Many investigating officers and members of the public felt that criminals had no
respect for the law or for the police.
They felt that criminals do not fear being caught and as a result, they are hardly
ever convicted; if they are convicted, it is believed that sentences are meted
out too lightly.
Corruption:
It is assumed that corrupt officials get fellow police officers killed because they
get too close to expose their corrupt activities.
Some police officials are involved in criminal activities, for example, by
protecting certain members, being bribed to supply information or by “losing”
dockets.
The multi-disciplinary committee (on improving the safety of police officials)
found that a police official was involved in almost one in 10 police killings.
Public violence and protests:
In recent years, South Africa has seen an upsurge in public protests (often about
poor or lack of service delivery) and labour strikes that are often characterised
by violence, intimidation and the destruction of public property.
The police have a duty to effectively manage crowds, control and ensure public
safety.
Unfortunately, protesters sometimes turn violent themselves and turn on the
police present at such public protest action.
These attacks often involve physical attacks or stone throwing, while on
occasion police have been shot at by members of the protesting groups. For
instance, villagers from Kubjana attacked the Relela satellite police station
(north of Tzaneen) over the alleged frustration over the unsolved murder and
mutilation of a woman in the area.
The use of force:
Before its amendments, section 49(2) provided a very broad provision on the
use of force which prompted the courts to place certain limitations on the scope
of the section.
1. Introduction:
The South African Police Service (SAPS) may have made news headlines for the
wrong reasons in the past such as the controversial debate on the use of
“deadly” force, the torturing of suspects, corruption within the police service and
the Marikana incident in 2012.
This has led to scrutiny by the media and the public.
However, such media attention on the use of force by the police should not
detract from the fact that policing remains a high-risk profession and that the
murder of police officials should be seen in a very serious light.
2. Definition of key concept(s):
Murder of a police officer:
Defined as the intentional causing of the death of a police official without a lawful
excuse.
Police officer/ official:
Is any person appointed by virtue of section 5.2 of the South African Police Service Act
68 of 1995 (referred to as the SAPS Act) or any other Act to serve in the SAPS.
3. Nature and extent of attacks on and murders of police officers:
Due to the nature (e.g. making dangerous arrests or dealing with violent
situations daily), policing remains a dangerous profession worldwide.
It has been claimed that South African police officers is 5 times more likely to be
murdered than their counterparts in the USA.
In South Africa more than 2000 police officers have been killed in within a
decade (since 1991 to approx. 2010).
It is safe to say that the murders of and assaults on police officers, whether in
South Africa or internationally remains a risk, as officers may experience a
higher risk of injury compared to types of victims.
Police officers constantly have to respond to dangerous situations such as
policing violent protest or making arrests in which a perpetrator might be
armed.
In such situations the officer is less likely to flee from the perpetrator than any
other type of victim.
The murder of off-duty police officers may be misleading in that many of them
are attacked while in uniform, either going to work or going home after their
shifts or even at their place of residence.
The murder of off-duty police officers also occurs in public places such as
restaurants, bars or even in shebeens.
There have also been incidents where police officers are killed while not on
official duty but where they “put themselves on duty” (e.g. react to or try to
prevent a crime in progress while possibly not in uniform or on duty).
In July 2014, 5 police officers were killed in the country in less than a week.
Media reports indicate that the Western Cape appears to have been the hardest
hit by such killings, with at least one death per month.
, 4. Motives and causes for attacks on and murders of police
officers:
To avoid arrest:
Police work is highly dangerous, and officials often work under difficult and
unsafe conditions.
They frequently have to respond to violent crimes-in-progress such as robberies
(at banks, shopping malls and even cash-in-transit heists), vehicle hijackings
and ATM bombings.
Criminals who are involved in these types of violent crimes will not hesitate to
shoot in order to avoid arrest.
Furthermore, officials may rush recklessly into a crime situation without giving
proper thought to their own safety.
Criminals’ attitude towards police:
Many investigating officers and members of the public felt that criminals had no
respect for the law or for the police.
They felt that criminals do not fear being caught and as a result, they are hardly
ever convicted; if they are convicted, it is believed that sentences are meted
out too lightly.
Corruption:
It is assumed that corrupt officials get fellow police officers killed because they
get too close to expose their corrupt activities.
Some police officials are involved in criminal activities, for example, by
protecting certain members, being bribed to supply information or by “losing”
dockets.
The multi-disciplinary committee (on improving the safety of police officials)
found that a police official was involved in almost one in 10 police killings.
Public violence and protests:
In recent years, South Africa has seen an upsurge in public protests (often about
poor or lack of service delivery) and labour strikes that are often characterised
by violence, intimidation and the destruction of public property.
The police have a duty to effectively manage crowds, control and ensure public
safety.
Unfortunately, protesters sometimes turn violent themselves and turn on the
police present at such public protest action.
These attacks often involve physical attacks or stone throwing, while on
occasion police have been shot at by members of the protesting groups. For
instance, villagers from Kubjana attacked the Relela satellite police station
(north of Tzaneen) over the alleged frustration over the unsolved murder and
mutilation of a woman in the area.
The use of force:
Before its amendments, section 49(2) provided a very broad provision on the
use of force which prompted the courts to place certain limitations on the scope
of the section.
