Disaster-Appropriate Policing in South Africa: Protests and State Violence in the COVID-19 Era

by Steven Rebello, Jesse Copelyn, Sinqobile Makhathini and Boikanyo Moloto August 19, 2021 1049 Views

Militarisation refers to a process where societies (states, institutions, and citizens) prioritise, organise, prepare for and respond to threats or crises with military action or violence. This policy brief highlights how many countries across the world, including South Africa, adopted a militarised response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In South Africa, this militarised response has been noted by the deployment of the SANDF to assist with the enforcement of COVID-19 regulations as well as through the noticeable increase in the use of excessive force in response to protests.

COVID state of violence

Steven Rebello

Senior Researcher | + posts

Steven Rebello is a Senior Researcher at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, as well as a counselling psychologist based in Johannesburg. Steven's tertiary education journey included completing his MA in research psychology at the University of South Africa and his MA in community-based counselling psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Jesse Copelyn

Research Intern | + posts

Jesse Copelyn is a Research Intern at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and holds a MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

Sinqobile Makhathini

Research Intern | + posts

Sinqobile Makhathini is a Research Intern at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and an Honours student in Development Studies and International Relations at Wits.