In the aftermath of apartheid, South Africa emerged with a constitution that outlawed torture and committed to international human rights treaties. However, a recent investigation has unveiled that the police are still utilizing a notorious interrogation technique known as "tubing," which involves suffocating suspects with plastic bags. This troubling revelation comes three decades after apartheid, during which the South African police were notorious for terrorizing Black citizens using similar methods.
An analysis conducted by The New York Times in collaboration with the South African nonprofit journalism organization Viewfinder indicates that from 2012 to 2023, an alarming average of three complaints per week were lodged by individuals alleging they were subjected to tubing during police interrogations. This is a stark contradiction to the ideals espoused by the African National Congress (ANC), which came to power in 1994, advocating for civil liberties and against the oppressive practices of the former regime.
Khulu Mbatha, a veteran associated with the ANC, expressed disbelief upon learning of the continued use of such tactics, asserting that the ANC leadership had committed to ensuring that nobody would endure such treatment again. Despite global efforts and national laws intended to safeguard citizens, the persistence of these brutal interrogation methods raises pressing concerns regarding accountability and governance in South Africa’s law enforcement agencies, as they grapple with an ongoing crime crisis and struggle to restore faith among the communities they serve.
An analysis conducted by The New York Times in collaboration with the South African nonprofit journalism organization Viewfinder indicates that from 2012 to 2023, an alarming average of three complaints per week were lodged by individuals alleging they were subjected to tubing during police interrogations. This is a stark contradiction to the ideals espoused by the African National Congress (ANC), which came to power in 1994, advocating for civil liberties and against the oppressive practices of the former regime.
Khulu Mbatha, a veteran associated with the ANC, expressed disbelief upon learning of the continued use of such tactics, asserting that the ANC leadership had committed to ensuring that nobody would endure such treatment again. Despite global efforts and national laws intended to safeguard citizens, the persistence of these brutal interrogation methods raises pressing concerns regarding accountability and governance in South Africa’s law enforcement agencies, as they grapple with an ongoing crime crisis and struggle to restore faith among the communities they serve.
