Three East Rand communities claim that members of the local SANDF unit are taking the law into their own hands. Sechaba ka’Nkosi reports
Members of a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) unit based in the East Rand at the height of political violence since the early 1990s have been implicated in a reign of terror unleashed on neighbouring townships.
Residents of Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus claim they are victims of instant justice meted out by the soldiers. They say in some instances the unit, based near Thokothaba High School in Thokoza, has been involved in arrests, kangaroo courts and destruction of property.
SANDF members do not have the power to arrest or search. On the East Rand they are expected only to provide back-up to the police in their operations.
Police branches on the East Rand say they have no knowledge of complaints. Thokoza police station commander Senior Superintendent Samson Matlala says no cases of assault or malicious damage to property have been reported.
“I do not have any case against members of the defence force. They have been with us for some time and had there been any misconduct on their part, I would have certainly known,” Matlala says.
His counterpart in Katlehong, Director Simon Makhale, acknowledged some complaints about the conduct of the SANDF members, but said there has been no investigation so far.
Says Makhale: “There are allegations of beatings and damage to property but none of them have been investigated since there is a lack of evidence.”
However, police officers in both areas claim that dozens of cases have been reported and charges were withdrawn either because no follow-ups were made or the investigating officers were scared of going to the base.
Says one: “Not even an identity parade has been held to allow the public to point out the perpetrators. It looks like no one wants to rattle the SANDF base. But the truth is they are quite popular for their notorious ways of investigating.”
Community leaders say they have approached the SANDF to lodge complaints about the conduct of soldiers in the townships, but to no avail.
South African National Civic Organisation chair Dumisa Ntuli says: “Most victims are scared of laying charges because they think the police act in collaboration with the soldiers. They approach us and we have gone to lay official complaints, but nothing has happened. This thing has been going on for far too long and it needs to come to an end.”
Sipho Mahlinza (26), a former self-defence unit (SDU) member, claims he has been beaten three times in less than two months.
Mahlinza claims that in March he was abducted from a sheeben in Katlehong on allegations that he had smacked his girlfriend’s friend. He alleges that after he was assaulted, he was warned not to lay any charges against the soldiers. He claims his home was searched for an unlicensed firearm.
He alleges that last Saturday a soldier stabbed him at a sheeben after a quarrel. “We expected these people to protect us,” says an angry Mahlinza. “But they are the ones terrorising us. And when you want to go to the police they tell you that they will reopen cases you were involved in to ensure that you go to jail.”
Mahlinza had charges against him relating to his involvement in the SDU withdrawn.
His claims are collaborated by members of his family, who say soldiers destroyed some of their furniture in the search.
Another victim, Bantu Nyathi (47), claims he was recently punched, kicked and beaten with rifle butts when soldiers wanted him to confess to a mugging a friend was allegedly involved in.
But Nyathi claims no mugging took place, and after the beating he was detained and made to perform exercises for four hours before being forced to clean up the base and wash cars.
“It was terrible,” says Nyathi, “but there is still very little I can do because these people are the law. I did not even report the matter to the police for fear that they would come to beat me up again.”
Residents painted a picture of deep, buried anger and helplessness.
“They beat us anytime they like,” charged Mapaseka Mokoeana of Thokoza, who claims her son was assaulted last month. “Yet we cannot even report them to the police because the police won’t do anything.”
Ironically, the unit is staffed by among others, members of the former liberation armies of Umkhonto weSizwe and the Azanian People’s Liberation Army.
The Ministry of Defence this week urged residents to lay charges against the alleged perpetrators so it can take steps in addressing the problems.
Ministerial representative Sam Mkhwanazi said the ministry viewed the allegations in a serious light.
“The ministry and the chief of the SANDF [General Siphiwe Nyanda] expect these people to be exemplary. The alleged actions, if true, cannot be tolerated in the force and we will not hesitate to take action against anyone who is guilty of harassing the community.”