South Africa 
South Africa's human rights score-card still tainted by abuses

afrol.com / AENS, 27 February - South Africa's human rights scorecard has been blemished by the excessive use of force by security forces, political violence, overcrowded prisons and increasing vigilante activities, a United States government report warned today. 

The Country Report on Human Rights Practices issued annually by the US State Department said South Africa generally respected the human rights of its citizens but decried the killings of civilians by security forces due to use of excessive force and the deaths of an estimated 166 people in politically motivated or extra-judicial violence in the country over the last year.

- Political violence remained a problem, [but] has reduced from 1999 levels, both in KwaZulu-Natal and country-wide, notes the section on South Africa, one of 195 countries covered in this year's reports released on Tuesday. "Some members of the security forces were responsible for torture, excessive use of force during arrest, and other physical abuse," says the report, which however acknowledges that Pretoria took action to investigate and punish some of those involved.

The State Department has prepared the reports annually over the last 25-years to assist the development of US foreign assistance policies. The reports cover citizens' civil and political rights such as freedom of speech and freedom to participate in the political process in countries around the world. "They speak for those who have no voice, bearing witness for those who have not had access to free trials, nor have enjoyed other fundamental human rights and protections," notes Michael Parmly acting assistant secretary of state in the democracy and human rights bureau.

The section on South Africa notes that the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) reported 511 deaths as a result of police action during the last 8 months of last year. Of these, 186 occurred to citizens in custody. The ICD investigates abuses of police power. "These figures represent an increase in the monthly rate of deaths as a result of police action, compared with the estimated 450 deaths that occurred in the first 10 months of 1999," the report says.

The report also document how in April last year, police in Barkley in the Eastern Cape arrested six boys for burglary and dragged two of them behind their car. One of them, 14-years old boy died as a result. The officers were suspended, have been charged with murder and their trials are expected in March. 

In July, members of the South African Police Service shot and killed and African National Congress member of parliament, Bheki Mkhize, while claiming to be searching for weapons in his parents home in Mahlabathini. The ANC has claimed the slaying was political motivated. "There was no indication that the officers had a warrant or that they attempted to search other homes in the area," the reports say.

The Braamfontein-based South Africa Institute for Race Relations meanwhile reported 166 politically motivated killings during the first 10 months of last year, the majority of them in KwaZulu-Natal. However, this was a decline from the same period a year earlier when 286 people died.

Factors such as seriously overcrowded prisons, an overburdened judiciary, lengthy delays in trials and prolonged pre-trial detention only serve to compound the human rights problems in the country.

In July, the Department of Correctional Services reported that there were 169,000 prisoners in the country's facilities, which are only designed to hold 101,000 people. The reports also document the case of a 17-year old boy who died in a Johannesburg prison after being repeatedly raped by adult prisoners. It notes that there are credible reports that youths from juvenile wards are sold to adult prisoners for purposes of rape.

Other actions that continue to taint the human rights image of the country include vigilante and mob justice acts such as those in Northern and Mpumalanga provinces by the group Mapogo. The group is being investigated by a task team set up by the Director of Public Prosecutions for its role in more than 200 cases of abuse.

In the Eastern Cape, a group known as the Umfela Ndawonye also allegedly killed and attacked suspected criminals in vigilante violence. In the Western Cape, the People Against Gangsters and Drugs (PAGAD), which allegedly planted a series of bombs in the province last year, also continued to act against those it suspected of being drug dealers, gang leaders and those critical of its activities.

By the end of the year there had been 16 convictions and 14 acquittals of PAGAD members since 1998 with 13 cases pending for murder, 63 for attempted murder and 28 for possession of explosives or illegal firearms. Officials at the South African embassy in Washington said they needed time to study the US State Department reports before commenting.

By Gumisai Mutume, African Eye News Service (AENS)

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