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Public order policing in South Africa - What about history?

Public order policing in South Africa - What about history?. Elrena van der Spuy Centre of Criminology, UCT. The virtues of comparison – space and time?. Cross-cultural studies have much to contribute Historical enquiries can capture continuities, shifts, nuances in public order policing.

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Public order policing in South Africa - What about history?

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  1. Public order policing in South Africa - What about history? Elrena van derSpuy Centre of Criminology, UCT

  2. The virtues of comparison – space and time? Cross-cultural studies have much to contribute Historical enquiries can capture continuities, shifts, nuances in public order policing

  3. Public order policing in SA in historical perspective Academic writings Police writings Interviews with old guard

  4. Apartheid’s riot police –Orthodox Views • Highly politicised • Distinct in its paramilitary ethos and practices • Uniformly brutal and inherently racist • Zero tolerance model of public order policing – dictatorial, inflexible and repressive

  5. Apartheid’s Riot Police: Revisionist perspectives Structural imperatives Minority regime politics - Absence of a broader social contract A hostile state – A disenchanted people- fierce political battle Normative imperatives A culture of antipathy and violence -- Permissive legal regime - the criminalisation of public protest Social imperatives Partisan media reporting Intensity of public (dis)order

  6. South African exceptionalism? The policing of public order under Apartheid not ‘idiosyncratic’ nor ‘exceptional’ A variation on a wider international theme Integral part of a post-colonial African cocktail

  7. Themes -------- Themes Themes emerging from the Interviews?

  8. The metaphors of war War and the shadow of counter-insurgency We tend to forget that it was winter. It was winter. Really. It was cold. Ja, Rhodesie was baiebelangrik. Daar het onsonstandegeslyp. Toe die grense. Toe Ovamboland. Toe die townships. Bekamping van terrorisme. Vang van insypelaars. Hantering van onlus-situasies.

  9. Obedience to the law . Watsê die strafproseswet? Wat is die job van die polisie? Die handhawing van wet en order. Disons job. Disnieasofons ‘n keuse het nie. Onsmoetuitgaan en ons job doen. Die wet sêdan so.

  10. Command, control and discipline Commanders are of critical importance. Good commanders. Trained and experienced. A cool head. You can’t have Rambo and Chuck Norris around. Commanders need to exert control. They need to know what’s happening. They need to remove Piet if he is no longer coping. Commanders need to discipline. I have always said you can’t drink with the lower ranks. How can you drink tonite and give orders tomorrow to the one’s you partied with?

  11. Discretion and Decisions Ekmeenjy sit daar en die hel is los en jymoet ‘n besluitneem. Watterbesluitneemjy en wanneer gee jy die bevel? En onthoujy het sekondesom die besluittemaak. Disniemakliknie.

  12. Technology and resources Jymoettoerustinghê. OnskonPeleton 19 van ‘n duisend man binnedrieure tot enigeplek in the land ontplooi. Gooihulle in die vliegtuig of sit hulle op ‘n trein. So ‘n mobieleeenheid is handig. Ditkos geld. Jy het infrastruktuurnodig. Hullemoetslaap, stort en eetjyweet. Toe kryons video kameras. En onsneemalles op kamera op. Jykan die belhamelsidentifiseer. Jygebruikdit in opleiding. Jykandit in die hofgebruik as bewysstukke. Rolle en rolle film is geneem. Wat het daarvangeword?.

  13. The vexed question: accountability ? Die Minister vra toe vir my: Is jy bang om in the hostels in tegaan? Eksê: Nee Minister disnouniedatek bang is nie. Maar die saakstaan so: As onsdaaringaangaandaarmenseweeswatseerkry, daargaanbloed vloei. Dalkbaiebloed. Watekwilweetgaanjy pastaanvir die goed?

  14. Being scared (just a little bit) Jong, eksaljou se^ as jy so ‘n handvolpoliesmanne is en daar is duisendebetogersdan is jymaar bang hoor. En hulle is wild. En van daaipoliesmanne is nogkinders. Skaarsuit die skool. In Bisho was ek bang. Dit het rofgegaan. Rof.

  15. Adaptations to new realities

  16. Peace and the policing of unrest Toe kom 1994. En toe loop van ons. En in hullewysheid dink hulle ‘n duisendjaar van vryheid het aangebreek. En kyknou hoe gaandit. Daar is baiekundigheidooronrussituasies. Onskan help. Sommige van onswil help waaronskan.

  17. Contemporary issues • The political metaphors used • Veracity of the regulatory framework • Command, control and discipline • Engaging with discretion • Technology, resources and training • Accountability mechanisms • Resilience and fear behind the shields and inside the uniforms • Flexibility to adapt • Learning from the past to engage the future

  18. Thank You Questions?

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