POLL | Are South Africans more vocal about American police brutality issues than local ones?
The ANC has been criticised for its perceived failure to acknowledge Collins Khosa in its statement calling for calm in the US, after protests and condemnation of the death of African American George Floyd by a white police officer.
Some have compared Floyd's murder to that of Khosa, an Alexandra resident who was allegedly killed by soldiers on April 10 for violating lockdown regulations, TimesLIVE reported.
In its statement, issued on Monday, the ruling party said it was worrisome that cases of police brutality in the US were on the rise. It named African American men who were recent victims of such injustice, but made no mention of Khosa.
SANDF soldiers were cleared by a military inquiry, which concluded in its investigation that the cause of Khosa's death could not be linked to the injuries sustained at the hands of soldiers, TimesLIVE reported.
Though the death of Floyd is a combination of alleged police brutality and racial discrimination, and Khosa's an alleged abuse of power, some South Africans have drawn comparisons between the deaths of the two men, with some calling for fellow South Africans to be as vocal about local issues of discrimination and abuse of power as they are about similar issues affecting African Americans.
Can't bring myself to watch the video of George Floyd's murder. I still haven't been able to watch 'When They See Us'. The continued violence brought upon African-Americans by the state is overwhelmingly diabolical. Of course, closer to home, we have Collins Khosa and many others
— motheo (@ShoMotheo) May 28, 2020
To those outraged by the police murder of George Floyd in America, I’m with you. But where was this rage when Collins Khosa was beaten to death by soldiers in Alex? What am I missing?
— Jonathan Jansen (@JJ_Stellies) June 2, 2020
The murders of Collins Khosa and the George Floyd are two sides of the same coin. Both are products of blood thirsty racist state security forces, both are borne from authoritarian governments. Solidarity is not a lack of awareness of your own context. I am angry about both.
— Musa Gwebani (@musa_gwebani) May 29, 2020
South Africa has its own George Floyd's & Eric Garner's. Their names are Andries Tatane, Sibusiso Amos, Collins Khosa just to name a few. Died at the hands of SAPS and SANDF members. Never got justice for their brutal deaths. Lest we forget.
— Ntuthuzelo Nene (@NtuthuzeloNene) May 30, 2020
Fact that Cyril Ramaphosa condemns the killing of George Floyd in America but has not condemned the killings of Sibusiso Amos who was killed by Police in his yard from Vosloorus and Collins Khosa from Alexandra killed by SANDF proves He doesn’t care about Blacks in South Africa.
— Great Zulu👑 (@SuperiorZulu) June 2, 2020