The police are one of the principal instruments of political oppression in South Africa. This review outlines the structure and roles of the various police forces and gives some figures indicating the extent of police violence.
South Africa's Police Force (SAP) is constituted in its own right, falls under its own Ministry (Department of Law and Order) and performs certain functions distinct from the South African Defence Force (SADF). However, the SAP cannot in terms of its overall function be considered apart from the SADF. The two together form a unified security force complementing each other and at times indistinguishable from each other in terms of their roles as repressive forces.
South Africa's police force is a semi-military organisation (it is even described as such in the government's own Official Year Book.) It is constituted on a national basis and apart from its special function of combatting and preventing crime, can be considered as part of the urban defence infrastructure of the security forces.
The police force consists of three major branches:
- The Uniform Branch is concerned mainly with the prevention of crime, routine police duties and administration. The Uniform Branch is assisted by the Police Reserve which consists of ex-members of the force. Some do duty for periods of 30 days per year for five years after the termination of their service (Active Group), and others do duty only in times of emergency (Inactive Group). The Uniform Branch is also assisted by the Reserve Police Force, which is distinct from the Police Reserve in that it consists of members of the public who offer their services voluntarily on a spare-time basis to supplement regular members or replace them when they are required for more urgent tasks.
- The Detective Branch, or criminal investigation department, investigates crime.
- The Security Branch is responsible for maintaining the 'security' of the state. It is in reality the political police force. It exercises the power of arrest, detention and interrogation under the security laws. Most reported cases of torture of detainees are carried out by members of the Security Branch.
The Security Branch also performs intelligence operations, in co-operation with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Military Intelligence. Its scope of operation is worldwide.
TOTAL SAP STRENGTH - 1981
| Regulars | 34,271 | |---|---| | Police Reserve | 16,500 (estimate) | | Reserve Police | 22,500 (estimate) | | Total | 73,271 |
OTHER POLICE FORCES
- The Railways and Harbours Police is a special force whose task is the prevention and investigation of crime on railways and harbours property, which includes airports. In 1978 the Railways Police formed a Reserve force, to be used mainly in cases of emergency. It consists of ex-members of the force who can be called up on a similar basis to reserves under the SAP.
- The SAP operate in the bantustans. In the 'independent' bantustans of the Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and the Ciskei the police forces are in reality offshoots of the SAP. They are given jurisdiction in their respective areas but co-operate with the SAP at all levels. Many senior SAP officers are seconded to the bantustans and bantustan police are given training in SAP training centres.
- The Traffic Police, municipal and provincial, enforce the rules of the road but can and often do perform other policing functions such as manning roadblocks, watching the roads and reporting traffic movements. They have the power to arrest people who contravene any of the laws they enforce.
- There are numerous other bodies which perform policing functions in South Africa. In the African townships much of the policing is done by Administration Board employees (known as 'blackjacks'). Their main work is the enforcement of pass laws. In African and Coloured townships vigilante groups (known in the Transvaal as the 'Makgotla' and in the Cape as 'Peacemakers') have the tacit approval of the police. Their task is to prevent crime and apprehend criminals. Despite numerous instances where people have been injured by these vigilantes and the vigilantes themselves have engaged in crime, they continue to exist.
Compounds attached to specific factories and mines are also policed in many cases by company police employed by companies to regulate visitors and workers and deal generally with 'security'. Private security firms abound which hire out uniformed guards with dogs.
NAMIBIA
On 1 April 1981 the SAP formally relinquished responsibility for policing Namibia to the new South West African Police (SWAP). Members of the SAP who are still serving in Namibia are officially 'on secondment'.
MILITARY SERVICE
Members of the police force are not called upon to do military service in the same way as civilians, but are called upon for duties relating to the preservation of 'internal security'.
The number of members required for service in 'operational areas', that is, in areas where the defence force is in active combat, are calculated on a pro rata basis in respect of each police division. Divisional commissioners nominate the required number of members in their respective divisions. These members usually serve in the 'operational area' for three months at a time.
POLICE CRIMES
During the financial year 1980-81 police payments of compensation to people as a result of police action increased by more than 30 per cent over the previous year.
During 1980-81 a total of R488,888 was paid out in 150 cases by the police compared to the R370,790 paid out in 173 cases the year before. These included 49 cases of unlawful arrest, for which R76,989 was paid out, 65 cases for injuries suffered as the result of police action and two for injuries suffered during 'riots' as a result of police action, at a total cost of R317,412.
Miscellaneous payments included six cases of injuries to bystanders, seven for loss of maintenance and income, 19 for loss of, and damage to, property and two for medical, legal and funeral expenses. Figures obtained from questions asked each year in parliament reveal the magnitude of police crimes. The tables below give the number of people killed and wounded in the course of 'normal' police duties between 1970 and 1979 as well as police convictions. Figures for 1980 are not available because the relevant questions were not asked in parliament last year.
PERSONS SHOT BY POLICE 1970-1979
These figures do not include the many hundreds killed by the police during the uprising of 1976.
| | Killed | Wounded | Total | |---|---|---|---| | White | 16 | 75 | 91 | | Coloured | 200 | 711 | 911 | | Asian | 7 | 16 | 23 | | African | 1,050 | 2,808 | 3,858 | | Total | 1,273 | 3,610 | 4,883 |
Average number of persons killed or wounded per year - 488.
CONVICTIONS OF POLICEMEN 1970-1979
| Culpable Homicide | 77 | |---|---| | Murder | 89 | | Common Assault | 1,869 | | Assault with Intent | 2,129 |
