Sunday, April 17, 2011

Furious!

I don't know about you, but I am fuming about the murder of Andries Tetane.
The almost unbelievable footage, shown on TV, of a group of police viciously beating the defenseless man left me stunned.
He wasn't even doing anything at that point: he was just standing there, alone, unarmed, shirtless, surrounded by about eight cops, who beat him with batons without mercy.

As if that were not enough, someone - almost certainly another policeman - shot him at close range with a rubber bullet.
Andries died on the scene.
All he and his companions were doing was demonstrating against the lack of service delivery.
Which is allowed in our democracy.

Why such an over reaction to this man?
Why kill him?
I could not understand that - until I read this report on Google:


"The killing on Wednesday of Andries Tetane during a service delivery protest in Ficksburg has been roundly condemned.



The Cope Youth Movement said yesterday the state is “effectively at war with its own citizens”.

Tatane, a member of the Congress of the People and an election candidate, was hit at close range by a police rubber bullet and beaten by the police.

“The prolonged political dominance of one party in South African politics has seen the creation of a state that is effectively at war with its own citizens,” spokesperson Marius Redelinghuys said.
“Having declared a ‘war on crime’, it is becoming increasingly apparent that government, and by instruction state-institutions, consider any form of opposition to its ‘God-given’ mandate a criminal offence.”

The Inkatha Freedomn Party said the killing of Tatane, which was broadcast on SABC television news, showed signs of a failed state.
“When police officers violate human rights and people die for their right to basic services, surely alarm bells must ring that we are heading towards a failed state after 17 years of misrule under the ANC-led government,” IFP police spokesperson Velaphi Ndlovu said in a statement.

The Law Society of SA (LSSA) called the violence that led to Tatane’s death “shocking, unjustified and disproportionate”.
“By all accounts Mr Tatane, who was part of a group protesting against the lack of service delivery in the town, posed no threat to the police,” LSSA leaders Nano Matlala and Praveen Sham said in a statement."

Aha!
Light bulb moment.
The man was a COPE member, opposing the ANC, and this happened just before the elections.

A very ugly situation indeed.
And a huge blight on this lovely country we live in and love.

The good news is that the country is up in arms about this
Two cops will be charged with murder, according to tonights newscast
More will be in trouble to a lesser degree.

I wish I were the kind who could drum up a huge number of protesters to cry out against this
Or to motivate a Facebook uprising against such brutality -

What about his family - left without their breadwinner?
Will the State help them?
Will we?
Could we?

9 comments:

melB said...

Horrific!

ANNE said...

we should stand up against this brutality and encourage a change of rule!

cat said...

Oh I fully agree.

Terry said...

I personally feel this is just a sign of the times. Brutality in the world is getting worse by the day. It's on the news all over the world.
2Ti 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2Ti 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
2Ti 3:4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

Paul said...

Start supporting the Protest arts! John Ellis is writing some challenging stuff.

This is MY country. It doesn't belong to the civil servants.

A luta continua.

blackhuff said...

It is brutal and so sad indeed. I agree with what you are saying. SO SAD!

MrsLG said...

Horrendous and Barbaric!!

Anonymous said...

Totally and utterly inhumane behaviour,an eye for an eye!

Anonymous said...

I would like to say I hate the police for what they have done to andries tetane! Although I'm dating a policeman,I can't trust them and I really hope and pray that those policemen who killed andries will burn in hell and I hope the men in jail will enjoy every second of your life in jail!!!!! You can go to hell,all 8 of you!!!!!