Ongoing Police Torture in Post-Apartheid South Africa Raises Alarm

Despite the transformative changes promised after apartheid, South Africa's police force is under scrutiny for continuing a method of torture reminiscent of its oppressive past. Reports reveal sustained use of the suffocation tactic known as tubing in police interrogations, leading to growing concerns among citizens and former liberation leaders.

During the era of apartheid in South Africa, the police were infamous for employing a terrifying interrogation method involving the suffocation of Black citizens, often with plastic bags. Following the end of apartheid over 30 years ago, the country adopted a new constitution promising to eradicate such torture practices, joined international treaties aimed at prevention. Nevertheless, a recent analysis by The New York Times reveals that the suffocation method, commonly referred to as "tubing," persists within police interrogations today.

From 2012 to 2023, an average of three individuals each week lodged complaints alleging that they were subjected to tubing during police interrogations. This ongoing practice directly contradicts the values championed by the African National Congress (ANC), which once fought for freedom and justice. The disheartening statistics reflect a betrayal of the promise made nearly three decades ago that such atrocities would never again occur.

Khulu Mbatha, a notable figure in the ANC and veteran of the liberation struggle, expressed deep shock at these findings. "It brings back very, very, very bad memories," he remarked. With the ANC in power since 1994, a commitment was made that no individual would endure such inhumane treatment; however, current reports suggest that this assurance remains woefully unfulfilled, leading to a crisis of accountability within the South African police system.