Commission finds serious inefficiencies in Khayelitsha policing and other stories

Special feature: Khayelitsha commission of inquiry

Commission finds \xe2\x80\x9cserious inefficiencies\xe2\x80\x9d in Khayelitsha policing

The Commission of Inquiry into Policing in Khayelitsha has identified \xe2\x80\x9cserious, overlapping (policing) inefficiencies\xe2\x80\x9d.

Daneel Knoetze

Highest crime areas have fewest cops - Khayelitsha commission

Police stations in the parts of Cape Town which bore the brunt of apartheid are the most seriously understaffed, the Commission of Inquiry into Policing in Khayelitsha found.

Daneel Knoetze

Khayelitsha commission a \xe2\x80\x9cvictory for justice\xe2\x80\x9d say organisations

The organisations that originally called for the establishment of an independent commission of inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha have welcomed as a \xe2\x80\x9cvictory for justice\xe2\x80\x9d the commission\xe2\x80\x99s findings and recommendations.

Barbara Maregele

Khayelitsha report: community wants to understand the recommendations

Residents of Khayelitsha queried some of the recommendations made by the Khayelitsha commission of inquiry into policing. Others did not understand exactly what the commission has recommended.

Pharie Sefali

What the Khayelitsha commission of inquiry has recommended

The Khayelitsha commission of inquiry into policing has made many important recommendations to the National Minister of Police. Here is a summary.

Adam Armstrong

Khayelitsha commission: rift between police and community \xe2\x80\x9cnot irretrievable\xe2\x80\x9d

The commission into policing in Khayelitsha has recommended that in order to restore a good working relationship with the community, the South African Police Services should promise to be respectful, transparent, and perform their duties in a professional manner.

Barbara Maregele

Khayelitsha police not trained to deal with domestic violence

The South African Police Services (SAPS) in Khayelitsha do not meet the obligations set out in the Domestic Violence Act when dealing with cases of domestic violence.

Barbara Maregele

SAPS told to treat foreigners with respect

The SA Police Service must \xe2\x80\x9ctake urgent steps\xe2\x80\x9d to eradicate discriminatory behaviour towards foreigners and gay people, the Commission of Inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha has said.

Tariro Washinyira

Reports

Hospital confirms Philippi protester had bullet wound

Tygerberg Hospital has confirmed that a man injured during clashes with Public Order Police in Philippi East on 22 August had sustained a bullet wound to his right leg.

Daneel Knoetze

Marikana public violence accused appear in court

17 people appeared at Athlone Magistrate Court on 25 August on charges of public violence related to the Marikana informal settlement evictions last week. The accused faced charges ranging from stoning police vehicles and private cars to arson, including torching a car, setting alight a shop and looting.

Johnnie Isaac

Police hammered on Lwandle eviction violence

At the Lwandle Commission of Inquiry today, the police were hammered for failing to engage community leaders in an attempt to prevent the escalation of violence during evictions at Lwandle informal settlement in June. Such a failure falls foul of the legal requirements for public order policing.

Daneel Knoetze

Eight months without electricity: Valhalla residents protest

Residents of 8th Lane in Valhalla Park protested along Robert Sobukwe Drive after being without electricity for eight months despite Mayor Patricia De Lille making them firm pre-election promises.

Armand Hough

City responds to GroundUp on Valhalla Park protests

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services writes that the electrification project at Agstelaan in Valhalla Park has been halted for periods of time due to excessive and highly dangerous gang violence in the area.

Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg

School transport a nightmare

Every day hundreds of parents depend on private transport operators to get their children to school and back home. The quality of service varies. GroundUp found some disturbing stories.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Angy Peter trial

Angy Peter trial: judge wants police to explain mistakes

Police statements to the media after the arrest of Social Justice Coalition activists came under the spotlight in the Angy Peter trial today.

Johnnie Isaac

Angy Peter trial: detective admits he did not investigate

Detective Constable Stanford Muthian acknowledged on Tuesday during the Angy Peter trial that he had not conducted his own investigation into the murder.

Johnnie Isaac

Angy Peter trial: investigator thought it sufficient to \xe2\x80\x9crubber stamp\xe2\x80\x9d statements

None of the witnesses to murder victim Rowan Du Preez\xe2\x80\x99s alleged deathbed statement were asked to swear that their statements were true, the investigating officer of the case told the court on 25 August.

Simone Haysom

Photo story

The battle for Rolihlahla Park

On Friday 22 August, Public Order Police battled residents of Rolihlahla Park, who fiercely resisted being evicted from a piece of private land off Sheffield Road in Philippi East.

Daneel Knoetze

Opinion

Tim Noakes and the responsibility of experts

One of the major medical advances of the last few decades has been the two-dose vaccine for children against measles. A responsible doctor or public health expert would not do anything to jeopardise public confidence in the vaccine. Yet this is exactly what UCT’s Professor Tim Noakes did this past weekend, writes Nathan Geffen.

Nathan Geffen

Welcoming a slight improvement for vulnerable workers

In an unequal society, and especially one suffering an economic crisis, the sellers of labour will always be disadvantaged. That is the simple reality of the system in which we live.

Terry Bell

Analysis

Gaza, Israel and South Africa’s edge of reason

Photos of South Africa’s national schools debate team wearing keffiyehs and pins with the Palestinian flag fuelled a hurricane of social media hate earlier in August 2014. Mandy de Waal interviewed members of the team and considers what can be learned from that perfect storm.

Mandy de Waal

Health

In the footsteps of Dudley Lee: prisoners to sue government

Several prisoners intend suing the Department of Correctional Services because they contracted tuberculosis (TB) in prison.

GroundUp Staff

Struggling with childhood obesity

Sindi (not her real name) is a 13-year-old girl who lives in the informal settlement of Masiphumelele near Fish Hoek in Cape Town. She meets the definition of being obese.

Thembela Ntongana

Activist Beat

The week in activism

This week in political activism we look at calls for help from Grahamstown, the plight of coal communities, a symposium on gender equality, and documenting the struggles of four informal settlements in South Africa.

Thembela Ntongana

Music

The slow rise of the female DJ

There are very few top female DJs in the official charts, but things are changing; being a DJ is no longer a boy\xe2\x80\x99s club. For Women\xe2\x80\x99s Month, Zethu Gqola speaks to two Cape Town trailblazers, DJs Sideshow and DJ Ruthy Pearl, on what it means to be female on the decks.

Zethu Gqola

Sport

Zizipho Kuzo and Rushta Mallick: Female boxers

Siyabonga Kalipa speaks to two female boxers. They will confront each other in the ring at OR Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha on the weekend of 30 August.

Siyabonga Kalipa

Meet female soccer ref Insaaf Baatjies

Most women\xe2\x80\x99s dreams of playing sports comes to an end when they get married and have children. Insaaf Baatjies of Silversands, Kuilsriver, who used to play soccer, decided to take up refereeing when she couldn\xe2\x80\x99t play anymore.

Siyabonga Kalipa

Obituary

Obituary: Bishop David Russell

Bishop David Russell, who died last week aged 75, was deeply rooted in this land, participating fully in its trauma and its transformation.

Francis Wilson