South Africa's Dark Legacy: The Persistence of Police Torture

Thu Jul 17 2025 12:45:06 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)
South Africa's Dark Legacy: The Persistence of Police Torture

Despite the end of apartheid, a brutal form of police torture continues to plague South Africa, raising serious human rights concerns.


A shocking report highlights that the suffocation torture method known as "tubing" still occurs among South African police forces, inadequately addressed by existing laws. This revelation points to a failure in the system meant to protect citizens, revealing a troubling legacy of violence.



It’s difficult to reconcile the enduring presence of a torture method once embraced by South Africa’s oppressive apartheid regime with a nation that celebrates leaders like Nelson Mandela, who championed human rights. However, a recent analysis by The New York Times reveals that, three decades after apartheid's demise, a form of suffocation torture referred to as “tubing” continues to be used by police, despite laws outlawing such practices.

Initially, tubing involved police officers suffocating individuals using a tightly pulled tire tube over the victim's face. In contemporary practice, this method has evolved into the use of a plastic bag drawn over the head. In partnership with Viewfinder, a South African investigative journalism organization focused on police accountability, The Times conducted a comprehensive analysis of thousands of police complaints, uncovering approximately 1,700 allegations of tubing over an 11-year span.

Experts suggest that the actual incidence of such torture may be significantly higher, considering that many victims refrain from filing complaints due to fear of repercussions. This groundbreaking analysis sheds light on a distressing reality: a government once hailed for liberating Black South Africans from apartheid is now presiding over a police force committing acts of torture against the same community.

MORE ON THEME

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:51:33 GMT

Ramaphosa Faces Diplomatic Isolation Amid Deteriorating US Relations

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:51:33 GMT
Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:53:50 GMT

Afghan Women Return From Iran, Face Harsh New Reality Amid Taliban Rule

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 09:53:50 GMT
Wed, 16 Jul 2025 05:52:06 GMT

Escalating Tensions: Israel Strikes Syrian Forces Amid Sectarian Violence in Suweida

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 05:52:06 GMT
Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:04:55 GMT

Aid Workers Killed in Tigray: New MSF Report Blames Ethiopian Army

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:04:55 GMT
Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:46:05 GMT

**From Military Leader to Democratic Figure: The Legacy of Ex-Nigeria President Buhari**

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:46:05 GMT
Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:05:04 GMT

Unmasking Lawfare: The Covert Manipulation of Justice by Legal Tycoons

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:05:04 GMT
Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:50:20 GMT

Lesotho MP Faces Charges for Allegations Against Monarch and South African Control

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:50:20 GMT
Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:31:41 GMT

South African President Announces Inquiry into Police Minister Amid Corruption Allegations

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 19:31:41 GMT
Sun, 13 Jul 2025 11:58:19 GMT

Tragic Death of 12-Year-Old Bridgit Njoki Sparks Calls for Justice Amid Kenya Protests

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 11:58:19 GMT
Sun, 13 Jul 2025 02:53:36 GMT

First Russian Tourists Arrive at Controversial N. Korean Resort Amid Human Rights Concerns

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 02:53:36 GMT
Sun, 13 Jul 2025 02:47:17 GMT

Judge Slams Trump Administration's Immigration Detention Practices

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 02:47:17 GMT
Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:44:42 GMT

Indigenous Australians Battle for Sacred Springs Amidst Mining Controversy

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:44:42 GMT
Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:36:17 GMT

Tragedy Strikes: 12-Year-Old Killed by Stray Bullet Amid Protests in Kenya

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:36:17 GMT
Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:29:08 GMT

North Korea's New Resort Opens to Russian Tourists Despite Human Rights Concerns**

Sat, 12 Jul 2025 03:29:08 GMT
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 23:40:02 GMT

ICC Voices Alarming Findings of War Crimes in Sudan

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 23:40:02 GMT
Fri, 11 Jul 2025 04:20:24 GMT

ICC Uncovers Evidence of War Crimes in Darfur Amid Ongoing Conflict

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 04:20:24 GMT
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 21:50:10 GMT

Caster Semenya Celebrates ECHR Ruling on Fair Hearing Rights

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 21:50:10 GMT
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:23:39 GMT

Caster Semenya's Right to Fair Hearing Upheld by ECHR

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 18:23:39 GMT
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:07:58 GMT

South Africa Faces HIV Crisis as US Aid Cuts Deepen

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:07:58 GMT
Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:47:54 GMT

US Aid Cuts Spark Growing Concerns Over HIV Treatment Access in South Africa

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 10:47:54 GMT

Follow us

© 2024 SwissX REDD UK ltd. All Rights Reserved.