Institute for Security Studies Crime and
Justice Division Head Gareth Newham said over the last ten years there has been
an increase in cases of police brutality reported to the Independent Police
Directorate.
Newham said surveys have shown that less than
half of the South African population trusts the police; two-thirds think the
police are corrupt, and between 35 and 40% of people would not report a crime
because they are so scared of police.
Newham said that many communities but specifically
poorer communities, police are not trying to build constructive relations in
order to collectively solve crime.
“They just basically tell community members
what to do and if community members don’t listen to them they use violence as a
way to force community members to adherer to their instructions,” added Newham.
Newham said that those are the common
experiences many have in this time that this kind of policing has been going
and it has been going for some time.
He furthermore added that communities need
service that they can rely on as they are starting to fear the police.
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