State silence not surprising: iLIVE
Image by: MIKE HUTCHINGS / REUTERS
I am not as surprised as you are about the government's deafening silence on the 198 assault cases opened by miners arrested after the Marikana massacre (Editorial, August 29).
Despite assault and torture by the police being rife, I have yet to hear management speak out strongly against it.
In January, many people were assaulted by members of the Tactical Response Team in Creighton, KwaZulu-Natal.
Despite numerous appeals, including to provincial management, and the involvement of independent investigators, those responsible have failed to cooperate in holding crucial ID parades so perpetrators can be identified.
This delaying tactic, apparently to make identification more difficult as time passes, was also used after Albert Makhoba, a former police member, was assaulted at his home near Mandeni two years ago.
Members of Public Order Policing were allegedly responsible, yet no list of members on duty that night was ever forthcoming.
The buck stops with management, who not only permit appalling abuse by members, but cover for them.
Why are they not being held accountable and action taken against them?
SHARE YOUR OPINION
If you have an opinion you would like to share on this article, please send us an e-mail to the Times LIVE iLIVE team. In the mean time, click here to view the Times LIVE iLIVE section.