The

Constitution of South Africa The Constitution of South Africa is the supreme law of the Republic of South Africa. It provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, it sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the Govern ...

protects all basic political freedoms. However, there have been many incidents of political repression, dating back to at least 2002,Housing battles in post-Apartheid South Africa: The Case of Mandela Park, Khayelitsha
, by Martin Legassick, ''South African Labour Bulletin'', 2003 as well as threats of future repression in violation of this constitution leading some analysts,

civil society Civil society can be understood as the "third sector" of society, distinct from government and business, and including the family and the private sphere.Activists decry talk of 'third force' at Marikana
by Niren Tolsi, ''Mail & Guardian'', 2012 or a decline in political tolerance. It has been argued that repression peaked during the period of the

Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...

presidency, with some analysts linking the increase in repression to the influence of the 'security cluster' under the

presidency. It has been argued that "Zuma has enhanced the coercive capacity of the state"The 'Gatvol' Factor
, Jane Duncan, ''SACSIS'', January 2011 and that he has focused on "building a state based on fear". It has also been argued that repression has affected poor people's organisations most seriously but that repression directed against poor people has been systemically under-reported in the media. It has been claimed that senior ANC politicians are responsible for the repression of grassroots activists. In 2012 Bishop Rubin Phillip said that "a dark night is settling over our country as the light of our democratic dawn dims". Serious concern has been expressed about

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...

in South Africa. Sipho Hlongwane, writing in ''Business Day'', has argued that "South Africa is a brutal police state." According to Greg Marinovich "The police are acting with impunity. Their political masters are acting with impunity. In the South Africa of 2012, if you are poor and without political clout, you are on your own."

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...

has expressed serious concerns about brutality, including

torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts c ...

and extrajudicial killings, at the hands of the police in South Africa.

Ronnie Kasrils Ronald Kasrils (born 15 November 1938) is a South African politician, Marxist revolutionary, guerrilla and military commander. He was Minister for Intelligence Services from 27 April 2004 to 25 September 2008. He was a member of the National E ...

has argued that there has been a "descent into police state depravity" under

. It has been observed that "Torture is routine practice in South Africa's police stations and prisons".

Threats to media freedom

Under

the ANC expressed open opposition to media freedom. Serious concern was expressed about the proposed

Media Appeals Tribunal The Media Appeals Tribunal was proposed in an African National Congress (ANC) 2010 discussion paper, which, in turn, builds on a resolution adopted at the party's 2007 National Conference in Polokwane. A basic premise of the resolution is the idea ...

and

Protection of Information Bill The South African Protection of State Information Bill, formerly named the Protection of Information Bill and commonly referred to as the Secrecy Bill, is a highly controversial piece of proposed legislation which aims to regulate the, protect ...

which, if passed, would significantly reduce press freedom.Amnesty red flag police brutality
Craig Dodds, 13 May 2011 There have been a number of reports of serious intimidation of journalists. In 2007 the Freedom of Expression Institute and ''

The Mercury Mercury most commonly refers to: * Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun * Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg * Mercury (mythology), a Roman god Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to: Companies * M ...

'' newspaper reported a death threat against a journalist in Durban by controversial local businessman Ricky Govender who claims close links with

. In Durban in 2009 the editor of ''The Mercury'', Philani Makhanya, laid a charge of intimidation against S'bu Mpisani, a politically connected contractor for the housing department in that city who had allegedly threatened the newspaper for its investigations into his activities. In

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

the branch chairperson of the ruling

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a Social democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...

(ANC), Nceba Faku, called for party supporters to burn down the offices of the local newspaper the ''

Daily Dispatch The ''Daily Dispatch'' is a South African newspaper published in East London in the province of Eastern Cape. The weekend edition is titled ''Saturday Dispatch''. Founded in 1872 as the ''East London Dispatch'', the ''Daily Dispatch'' is the Ea ...

'' in 2011. In 2012 Piet Rampedi and Adriaan Bassoon, journalists at the '' City Press'', were subject to various threats and forms of intimidation while covering a story on corruption by

Julius Malema Julius Sello Malema (born 3 March 1981) is a South African politician and activist who is a Member of Parliament and the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a left-wing party which he founded in 2013. He was formerly the President of ...

Also in 2012 ANC supporters publicly burnt copies of the ''City Press'' newspaper in Durban.

Threats to artistic freedom

Poet Mbongeni Khumalo has claimed "that his no-holds barred lyricism attracted the attention of state security". In 2012 leading figures in the ruling party called for a painting, '' The Spear'', to be destroyed and publicly endorsed the defacement of the painting.

Unlawful state bans on protests

There have been a number of independently documented cases where the constitutionally protected right to protest has not been honoured by the state. One particularly well documented instance occurred in

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

in 2006 and another in Cape Town in 2012. It has also been claimed that the right to protest has been summarily denied to shack dwellers on the East Rand. It has been argued that not just ANC controlled municipalities, but also opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) ones, engage in unlawful bans on the right to protest. It has also been suggested that recent judicial interventions amount to a ''de facto'' curtailment of the right to protest. It has been argued that there was an increase in the unlawful banning of protests after the 2012

Marikana massacre The Marikana massacre was the killing of thirty-four miners by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 16 August 2012 during a six-week wildcat strike at the Lonmin platinum mine at Marikana near Rustenburg in South Africa's North West pr ...

SA's banned gatherings: Goodbye Constitution, we hardly knew you
by Mandy de Waal, ''The Daily Maverick'', 28 September 2012 and that this has taken the form of a ''de facto'' "state of emergency".

Police repression

Militarisation of the police

The police, which were demilitarised after apartheid have been remilitarisedThe South African Police Service and the Public Order War
by Chris McMichael, ''Think Africa Press'', 3 September 2012 and some politicians have encouraged the police to 'shoot to kill'. In the view of some analysts this has contributed to escalating repression. Concern has also been expressed at use of tactical response teams to contain popular protestA template for Marikana was made in Ermelo a year ago
by David Bruce, ''Business Day'', 5 November 2012 and at the idea that the army should support the police in containing popular protest.

Police harassment of journalists

In 2010 journalists Mzilikazi waAfrika was arrested at the offices of the ''Sunday Times''. Charges against him were later dropped. waAfrika's phone was also unlawfully tapped by the police. In July 2012 Nic Dawes, Sam Sole and Stefaans Brummer, journalists at the ''Mail & Guardian'', were questioned by the police following the publication of a story alleging corruption by senior ANC leader

Mac Maharaj Sathyandranath Ragunanan "Mac" Maharaj (born 22 April 1936 in Newcastle, Natal) is a retired South African politician affiliated with the African National Congress, academic and businessman of Indian origin. He was the official spokesperson o ...

Police harassment of activists

There have been numerous allegations from activists in grassroots

social movements A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a Social issue, social or political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to resist or undo one. It is a type of Group ...

about arrests on trumped up charges and assaults at the hands of the police. For instance it was reported that Ashraf Cassiem from the

Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign The Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign was a non-racial popular movement made up of poor and oppressed communities in Cape Town, South Africa.

was assaulted by the police in 2000 while resisting an eviction and that

S'bu Zikode Sibusiso Innocent Zikode is the current president of the South African shack dwellers' movement, which he co-founded with others in 2005. Abahlali baseMjondolo claims to have an audited paid up membership of over 80 000 across South Africa. His ...

and

Philani Zungu Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM, , in English: "the residents of the shacks") is a socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa which organises land occupations, builds communes

from

Abahlali baseMjondolo Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM, , in English: "the residents of the shacks") is a socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa which organises land occupations, builds communes

were arrested and assaulted while on the way to a radio interview in 2006. In September 2010 four residents of Hangberg, in

Hout Bay Hout Bay ( af, Houtbaai, meaning "Wood Bay") is a harbour town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is situated in a valley on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula, twenty kilometres south of Cape Town. The name "Hout Bay" can ...

, near

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

were shot in the face at close range by police with rubber bullets leading to the loss of their eyes. In February 2011 two protesters were killed by the police and a number subject to torture in Ermelo. In January 2012 it was reported that

Ayanda Kota Ayanda Kota is an activist who was the founding chairperson of the Unemployed Peoples' Movement in Grahamstown, South Africa. He is also the President of the Makana Football Association. His political roots are in the black consciousness movement ...

was assaulted in the

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London, Eastern Cape, East London. Makhanda is the lar ...

police station. In August and September 2012 strikers and community activists in Marikana were subject to sustained police harassment, including a large number of fatalities. In October 2012 activists in Makause, on the East Rand, reported death threats from the police.Police to people of Makause: 'March and there'll be another Marikana'
Mandy de Waal, ''The Daily Maverick'', 5 October 2012 In December 2012 it was reported that in Wesselton, Mpumalanga, police were engaged in sustained collective harassment, some of it violent, of a local community.

Police torture of activists

There has been general concern about police torture in South Africa, which has been described as "occurring en masse" and "spiralling out of control". In 1996 Kevin Kunene, founding chairman of the KwaMbonambi Environmental Group, was tortured by the police. Organisations such as the

Landless People's Movement The Landless People's Movement was an independent social movement in South Africa. It consisted of rural people and people living in shack settlements in cities. The Landless People's Movement boycotted parliamentary elections and had a histor ...

have documented cases in which activists and protesters have been tortured. There were media reports of police torture of activists in Wessleton, Ermelo, in 2011 and in

Marikana Marikana, formerly known as Rooikoppies, is a town in the Rustenburg local municipality, Bojanala Platinum District Municipality district in the North West province of South Africa. The name Rooikoppies means 'red hills' in Afrikaans. Neighbo ...

in 2012. ''People Killed by the Police During Protests'' The worst instance of lethal police violence in response to protest since the end of the

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

era in South Africa is the shootings of 34 striking miners at Marikanan near

Rustenburg Rustenburg (; , Afrikaans and Dutch: ''City of Rest'') is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West province, South Africa (549,575 in 2011 and 626,522 in the 2016 census). In 2017 ...

, which have come to be known as 'The Marikana Massacre', during the

Marikana miner strike The Marikana massacre was the killing of thirty-four miners by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 16 August 2012 during a six-week wildcat strike at the Lonmin platinum mine at Marikana near Rustenburg in South Africa's North West prov ...

on 16 August 2012. The ICD has reported a rise in police violence against protesters since 2010 and a number of unarmed protesters have been killed by the

South African Police Service The South African Police Service (SAPS) is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1,154 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in eac ...

since 2000. Four people were killed by the police during protests between 2000 and 2004, two in 2006, one in 2008, two in 2009, three in 2010 and eleven in 2011. The media have reported at least 27 police killings of protesters and bystanders (not including the 34 people killed in the Marikana Massacre) and a number of killings by private security guards since 2000.

People killed by police during protests

*Yusuf Jacobs (22)

, 8 January 1999 *Michael Makhabane (23)

, 16 May 2000 * Abel Phetla (17) Alexandria,

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

, 30 May 2000 *Dennis Mathibithi (17) and Nhlanhla Masuku (15), Kathlehong, 16 February 2004 *Tebogo Mkhonza (17),

Harrismith Harrismith is a large town in the Free State province of South Africa. It was named for Sir Harry Smith, a 19th-century British governor and high commissioner of the Cape Colony. It is situated by the Wilge River, alongside the N3 highway, abo ...

, 30 August 2004Tatane's death opens old wounds for family
, ''City Press'', Lucas Ledwaba, 2004 *Monica Ngcobo, (19)

, 2 March 2006 *Jan Matshobe, (27)

Sebokeng Sebokeng () locally called Zweni by residents, is a middle-class township in the Emfuleni Local Municipality in southern Gauteng, South Africa near the industrial cities of Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging. Other neighboring townships include Evaton ...

, Johannesburg, 1 May 2008 *Mthokozisi Nkwanyana, (24) Durban, 2008 *Unnamed girl, KwaZakhele, KwaZulu-Natal, 1 July 2009 *Unnamed person, Mashishing, Mpumalanga, 5 June 2009 *Priscilla Sukai (46) eTwatwa,

Daveyton Daveyton is a township in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality of Gauteng in South Africa. It borders Etwatwa to the north-east, Springs to the south and Benoni to the south-west. The nearest town is Benoni, which is approximately 18 kilome ...

, 2010 *Unnamed man, Siyazenzela, Mpumalanga, 5 April 2010 *Anna Nokele (19),

Welkom Welkom () is the second-largest city in the Free State province of South Africa, located about northeast of Bloemfontein which is the provincial capital. Welkom is also known as Circle City, City Within A Garden, Mvela and Matjhabeng. The cit ...

, September 2010 *Two unnamed children, Boipelo, Gauteng, 15 February 2011 *Solomon Madonsela and Bongani Mathebula, 19 February 2011 *Dimakatso Kgaswane and unnamed person, Tlokweng, North West, 31 May 2011 *

Andries Tatane Andries Tatane (22 February 1978 – 13 April 2011) was a 33-year-old South African citizen who was shot and killed by police officers during a service delivery protest in Ficksburg. Seven police officers accused of his murder and assault were ...

(33),

Ficksburg Ficksburg is a town situated at the foot of the 1,750 meter high Imperani Mountain in Free State province, South Africa. The town was founded by General Johan Fick in 1867 who won the territory in the Basotho Wars. He laid out many erven and p ...

, 13 April 2011 *Nhlanhla Ngcobo (19) and two unnamed people in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, 6 June 2011 *Mxolisi Buthelezi (14), Folweni Reserve, Durban, KwaZulu Natal, 2 July 2012 *Unnamed person (27), Mahikeng, North West, 4 July 2012 *Paulina Masuhlo, Marikana, North West, 19 September 2012 *Michael Daniels (28), Wolsely, Western Cape, 14 November 2012 *Service Nkadimeng (33), Primrose,

Germiston Germiston, also known as kwaDukathole, is a small city in the East Rand region of Gauteng, South Africa, administratively forming part of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality since the latter's establishment in 2000. It functions as ...

, Gauteng, 18 November 2012 *Letsekang Tokhwane (25), De Doorns, 14 January 2013 (Note: Some media reports indicate that a third, unnamed protestor was also killed in the Western Cape Farm Workers' Strike) *Six unnamed people, Sasolburg, Free State, 22 January 2013 (Note: One report indicates that one, also unnamed man, was reported to have been shot dead by a passing motorist) *Nkosiyethu Wele Mgoq (15), Sterksrpuit,

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

, 15 February 2013 *

Nqobile Nzuza Nqobile Nzuza was a resident in the Marikana Land Occupation in Cato Crest, which is part of Cato Manor in Durban, South Africa. She was a member of the shackdwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo. Death On 30 September 2013, at the age of ...

(17), Durban, 30 September 2013 *Themba Khumalo (20), Bekkersdal, Gauteng, 23 October 2013 * Jan Rivombo,

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends ...

, 8 January 2014 * Mike Tshele, Osia Rahube, Lerato Seema and Enock Seimela, Brits, 13 January 2014 * Tshepo Mabuseng (28), Roodeport, Gauteng 23 January 2014 * Mozere Molele and Mohale "Lighty" Selo, Tzaneen, 29 January 2014 * Unnamed man, Soweto, 19 February 2014 * Unnamed three-month-old baby, Majakaneng, North West, March 2014 * Unnamed school child and 47-year-old man, Thembelihle, 25/26 February 2015 * Lucas Lebyane (15), Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, 27 February 2015 * Unnamed, Mopani, Limpopo 8 May 2015 * Unnamed male (23), Bedford, Eastern Cape 12 May 2015 * Unnamed, Burgersfort, Limpopo 13 May 2015 * Karabo Khumalo (11), Bela Bela, Limpopo, 7 February 2017, * Unnamed 16-year-old boy, Standerton, Mpumalanga, May 2017 * Jayden Khoza, 2-week-old baby boy, Durban, May 2017 * Songezo Ndude (30), Imizamo Yethu, Hout Bay, July 2017. * Steven Kau (23), East Rand, Johannesburg, January 2018 * Two unnamed people, Caledon, Western Cape, April 2019 * Two unnamed people, a seven-year-old girl and a 33-year-old man, Philippi East, Cape Town, 16 June 2020 * Leo Williams (9), Laingville, August 2020

People killed by private security guards during protests

*Christopher Jele (21), Piet Retief, 2009 *Ntombiyenkosi Mabika (24), Shaka's Kraal, June 2011 *Bongile Ndleni (40), Ceres, 18 November 2012 *Alfred Mzikayifani Mdiyako and Sanele Mthethwa, at the Magdalena and Aviemore mines in Dannhauser near Dundee, on 31 October 2012 *Malizo Fakaza and Nhlanhla Mkhize, Reservoir Hills, Durban, 19 October 2013 (Seven others were shot and injured) *Unnamed person, Newclare, 6 October 2014 *Samuel Hloele (29), Durban, 13 June 2017 *Mlungisi Madonsela, Durban, 5 February 2019 *Boshelo Petja, Limpopo, 18 July 2019

Activists killed by vigilantes

*Terrance Mbuleo (33),

Soweto Soweto () is a township of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for ''South Western Townships''. Formerly a s ...

, 2010 *Lerato Victor Rabolila (26),

, 2014

People killed during protests by attackers whose details have not been clearly reported

*Unnamed Man,

Bekkersdal Bekkersdal is a township situated 7 km east of Westonaria and 14 km south of Randfontein in the Gauteng province. It was established in 1945, to house Africans who worked in town and at the surrounding gold mines. In 1983 The year ...

, 2013

Repression from forces other than the police

Harassment of activists by intelligence structures

The Right2Know Campaign has documented several instances in which activists have been harassed by intelligence structures.

Party political violence against activists

Organisations such as the

The Work of violence:a timeline of armed attacks at Kennedy Road
, Kerry Chance ''School of Development Studies Research Report'', 83, July 2010Failure to conduct impartial investigation into Kennedy Road violence is leading to further human rights abuses
''Amnesty International'', December 2009 and the Unemployed People's Movement have been subject to armed political violence by groups claiming to represent the ruling ANC. The Makause Community Development Forum have also claimed to have been subject to state sanctioned violence by an ANC aligned 'mob'. There have also been cases where ANC supporters have disrupted protests organised by independent groups. One example of this was the attempt to disrupt a protest by the Moretele Concerned Communities Association in May 2012. It has been argued that the violence associated with the

Marikana miners' strike The Marikana massacre was the killing of thirty-four miners by the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 16 August 2012 during a six-week wildcat strike at the Lonmin platinum mine at Marikana near Rustenburg in South Africa's North West prov ...

in August 2012 began after officials of the National Union of Mineworkers murdered two strikers.

Death threats against activists

Grassroots activists have been reporting fears that they may be killed since at least 2002. There have been reports of death threats against activists in Ermelo (2011), in

(2011), in eTwatwa on the

East Rand The East Rand is the urban eastern part of the Witwatersrand that is functionally merged with the Johannesburg conurbation in South Africa. The region extends from Alberton in the west to Nigel in the east, and south down to Nigel. It includes ...

(2010), and in Durban (2006, 2009, 2012).

Unsolved murders of activists claimed to be political assassinations

* Sinethemba Myeni, 12 April 2006,

Umlazi Umlazi is a township in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, located south-west of Durban. Organisationally and administratively it forms part of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality and its South Municipal Planning Region. It is the fourth largest ...

, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (former SACP member supporting independent candidate in local government elections)Umlazi Political Violence
Press Statement, 2006 * Mazwi 'Komi' Zulu, 3 May 2006, Umlazi, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (former SACP member supporting independent candidate in local government elections) * Scorpion Dimane, anti-mining activist, Mbizana, 2008 *

Mbongeleni Zondi Inkosi (Zulu Chief/King) Mbongeleni Zondi (1969 – January 22, 2009) was a Zulu chief, regent and great-grandson of Inkosi Bambatha kaMancinza, who led a Zulu rebellion against British rule in 1906. He was also a close ally of African National ...

, traditional leader with close ties to Jacob Zuma and the ANC, Durban, 2009 * Mthunzi Nkonki, MV veteran,

, Eastern Cape, 2010 * Bomber 'Radioman' Ntshangase, SACP leader, Mpumalanga, 2012Murders rock ANC
Paddy Harper, Mmanaledi Mataboge and Sizwe sama Yende, ''City Press'', 29 July 2012 * Kevin Kunene, environmental rights activist, KwaMbonambi, 2012 * Dalivuyo Bongo, National Union of Mineworkers, Rustenburg, North West, 2012 * Thembinkosi Qumbelo, Local activist and ANC leader, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 2013 * Two unnamed members of

, KwaNdengezi, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 2013 * Steve Khululekile, AMCU regional organiser, Rustenburg, North West, 2013 * Nkululeko Gwala,

activist, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 2013KZN: Anatomy of an assassination
Niki Moore, ''Daily Maverick'', 31 July 2013KZN protest leader shot 12 times
Nkululeko Nene, ''Daily News'', 27 June 2013 * Thuli Ndlovu, Abahlali baseMjondolo leader, KwaNdengezi, Durban, 2014 * Sthembiso Biyela & Buyisile Malusi, (Biyela was reported to have left the IFP to join the ANC) Durban, 2014 * Njabulo Ndebele, Sibonelo "John-John" Ntuli and Ntobeko Maphumulo, NUMSA leaders, Isithebe, KwaZulu-Natal, August 2014 * Charles Khanku, SANCO leader, Cape Town * Mobeni Khwela, Local SACP activist, KwaNdengezi, Durban, 2014 * Mbuyiselo Phajana Mnguni, Free State regional chairperson of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union, 2014 * Chris Nkosi, Gauteng secretary of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union, Germiston, 2015 * Philip Dlamini & another unnamed man, SACP members, Durban, 2015 * Sikhosiphi Bazooka Rhadebe, chairperson of the chairman of the Amadiba Crisis Committee, Mbizana, Eastern Cape, 2016 *Nontsikelelo Blose, SACP activist, KwaZulu-Natal, 2016 * Mthunzi 'Ras' Zuma, Cape Town, 2017 * S'bonelo Mpeku, Chairperson of an Abahlali baseMjondolo branch in

Lamontville Lamontville is a town in EThekwini in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Township south of Durban, on the Umlaas River and next to Mobeni. It was laid out in 1930 and named after the Revd Archibald Lamont Archibald Lamont (21 ...

, Durban, November 2017 * Soyiso Nkqayini, Youth League organisers for Abahlali baseMjondolo in

Cato Manor Cato Manor is a working-class area located from the city centre of Durban, South Africa. It was formed when Indian market gardeners came to settle in the area some time after it was given to George Christopher Cato in 1865, who was the first m ...

, Durban, December 2017 * S'fiso Ngcobo, Chairperson of an Abahlali baseMjondolo branch in Marianhill, Durban, May 2018 * Bongani Cola, Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers Union of SA, Port Elizabeth, 2019 * Malibongwe Mdazo, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, in

North West Province North West is a province of South Africa. Its capital is Mahikeng. The province is located to the west of the major population centre of Gauteng and south of Botswana. History North West was incorporated after the end of Apartheid in 1994, an ...

, 18 August 2021 *

Ayanda Ngila Ayanda Ngila (1992–2022), was a land activist, a prominent leader in the shack dweller's movement Abahlali baseMjondolo and deputy chairperson of its eKhenana Commune. He was assassinated on 8 March 2022. Arrest eKhenana, a well known branc ...

, Abahlali baseMjondolo leader, Durban, 8 March 2022 *

Nokuthula Mabaso Nokuthula Mabaso, (1981/1982 – 5 May, 2022) was a prominent leader in Abahlali baseMjondolo and one of the leaders of its women's league. She was a leader in the eKhenana Commune. She was assassinated on 5 May 2022. Activism She was ...

, Abahlali baseMjondolo leader, Durban, 7 May 2022 *

Lindokuhle Mnguni Lindokuhle Mnguni (b. 1994) was a land activist and a prominent leader in the shack dwellers' movement Abahlali baseMjondolo. He was chairperson of the movement's youth league as well as the chairperson of the eKhenana Commune. He was a leader o ...

, Abahlali baseMjondolo leader, Durban, 20 August 2022

Convictions for political assassinations

* In May 2016 two ANC councillors were convicted of murder following the assassination of

Thuli Ndlovu Thuli or Thulli may refer to __NOTOC__ In Nepal *Thuli Bheri, an urban municipality **Thuli Bheri River * Thuli Pokhari, a village development committee In Zimbabwe *Thuli River, a major tributary of the Shashe River **Thuli–Makwe Dam, on the ...

, a local leader in

, an autonomous shack dwellers' movement in

Political violence & intimidation by MK veterans

In July 2012 Alpheus Moseri (68) collapsed and died following an assault by MK Veterans at a lecture given by Jacob Zuma. In October 2012 COSATU President Sidumo Dlamini called for MK veterans to use "their guerrilla military skills to work with us on the ground to defend this movement and our revolution as a whole" In November 2012 it was reported that MK veterans had made threats against Deputy President

Kgalema Motlanthe Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe (; born 19 July 1949) is a South African politician who was South Africa's third president of South Africa, president between 25 September 2008 and 9 May 2009, following Thabo Mbeki's resignation. Thereafter, he was depu ...

. In November 2012 it was reported that armed men claiming to be MK veterans stormed into an ANC branch meeting on the East Rand and threatened to shoot members of the branch if they did not nominate Zuma for re-election. According to

Barney Pityana Nyameko Barney Pityana FKC GCOB (born 7 August 1945) is a human rights lawyer and theologian in South Africa. He is an exponent of Black theology. Biography Pityana was born in Uitenhage and attended the University of Fort Hare. He was on ...

"we are beginning to see the emergence of party (or presidential) militia in the guise of the Umkhonto weSizwe Veterans, who are the new Gestapo with a fascist agenda."

Breakdown in the rule of law

In Durban in 2013 the shack dwellers' movement

secured five High Court injunctions against evictions which were "systemically ignored by state actors who have repeatedly torn down the shacks of local residents".

Ruling party attitudes to independent organisations

According to

Zwelinzima Vavi Zwelinzima Vavi (born 20 December 1962) is the former general secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), and vice-chairperson of the Millennium Labour Council. Early life Vavi was born on a farm in Hanover, Nort ...

COSATU The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is a trade union federation in South Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the largest of the country's three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions.One Union expelled, ...

Secretary General, "The ulingparty unfortunately has adopted in our view an unnecessarily hostile posture to some progressive civil organisations and coalitions, painted a number of organisations with the same brush and has tended to take the view that they are the product of external agendas."Cosatu report hammers 'self-serving' ANC
MATUMA LETSOALO, ''Mail & Guardian'', 9 August 2010

References

External links

Amnesty International South Africa
*
Right to Know Campaign
{{DEFAULTSORT:Protest in South Africa Housing in South Africa Human rights abuses in South Africa Political history of South Africa Politics of South Africa

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...