A recent analysis reveals that the violent practice of "tubing," a technique reminiscent of apartheid-era torture, continues among South Africa's law enforcement, challenging the nation's commitment to human rights and safety.
Torture Techniques Remain in South African Police Practices
Torture Techniques Remain in South African Police Practices
Despite the end of apartheid, instances of a form of torture known as "tubing" persist within the South African police force, raising alarm about human rights violations.
In a distressing revelation, research by The New York Times indicates that a form of torture long associated with South African apartheid persists within the country’s police force, prompting renewed discussions about human rights in the region. This study identifies a practice called “tubing”—a methodology of suffocation—that echoes the brutal tactics utilized by apartheid enforcers against the population they oppressed.
Originally executed with the use of a tight tire tube covering victims’ faces, modern iterations often employ plastic bags, signifying a grim continuity in the methodologies of police violence. In collaboration with Viewfinder, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in South Africa that focuses on police misconduct, The Times scrutinized over a decade’s worth of police complaint data, uncovering approximately 1,700 documented instances of tubing, despite substantial underreporting indicating the figure could be much higher.
Experts contend that a significant number of victims shy away from filing complaints due to fear of retaliation or a lack of confidence in legal recourse. These findings, regarded as pioneering in their scope, emphasize a troubling reality: a government, once populated by liberation heroes, finds itself presiding over a police force implicated in the very torture practices they once fought against.
This dissonance raises critical questions regarding the effectiveness of laws aimed at curbing police violence and the ongoing commitment of the South African state to uphold human rights across its populace. As citizens look to the legacy of figures such as Nelson Mandela for moral guidance, the persistence of these abusive practices starkly contrasts with the nation’s aspirational mandates. The situation calls for heightened scrutiny, accountability, and systemic reform within the police force to prevent the return of oppressive tactics reminiscent of a painful past.
