SECURITY BRUTALITY

Having watched the video where an elderly lady got beaten up by store (CB clothing) security in Jane Furse in Sekhukhuneland in Limpopo Province (already in October 2012 but only surfaced now) can only be described as shocking. It was alleged that she stole a packet of under wear, but the violent beating, almost like a “tribal or bundu court”, is ridiculous.

This took place whilst being looked on by what is presumed to be clothing store staff. Luckily five arrests were executed in April 2013 and bail denied to the three main suspects. These three suspects, presumed to be security guards or staff performing security functions, are also facing charges of assault from a previous case. The question is – if they performed security functions they had to be registered as security officers –are they registered and who do they work for?

The levels of brutality in SA are getting out of hand – if it is not individual police officers, then security guards (recent example on illegal miners caught) and even striking workers. Where will it end?

There must be a “bigger picture” – are there underlying social frustrations or psychological disorders that requires attention? Can ordinary people act in this manner - are South Africans frustrated with each other, disgruntled with social systems or even politically disillusioned and tired of substandard living conditions or what is our problem in SA? Is this the lawless society that we live in where there is no respect for each other or the legal system - on all levels of society?

How low are our morals and what could be done to lift these morals?