Unclenching the fist of apartheid

POLICE officers and teachers were undoubtedly the most feared people in the olden days.

If you were to use your own “fear-o-meter ” then you would have discovered that the police were not only feared for their ugly diamond shaped trucks or uniforms, but mainly because they matched their ugly appearance with the most unimaginable brutality.

I will never forget an incident in which a policeman tied a woman up with a piece of wire and then hooked it to the back of his bicycle after she was accused of stealing. The woman was literally dripping with sweat as she stumbled and ran behind him for several kilometres as he rode along on his bike. To make things worse the policeman used a whip to spur her on throughout the horrible journey. It was ruthless!

Teachers on the other hand were notorious for mumbling big English jawbreakers when angry while whipping pupils at will – and for that they earned the second slot on the “fear-o-meter ”.

Indeed, it was no joke when pupils were spreadeagled like pairs of scissors on tables and whipped to a pulp.

Some people still carry ugly scars from their encounters with a former beast called the teacher.

My real fascination about these two groups however, lies in their striking similarities when it comes to policy in post apartheid South Africa.

The demise of apartheid meant their ‘fear-o-meter ’ rankings dropped significantly since policemen and teachers had to adjust to new constitutional demands that would seem to deny them room for abuse.

But clearly, things have not quite worked out.

One reason, I would say, is a colossal failure to find a clear working policy to match the demands of the New Rainbow Nation.

For example, one of the biggest problems when it comes to South African education has been the failure to settle on a working curriculum policy. Instead of being the one to dish out fancy vocabulary, the poor teacher has had to taste the bitterness of his own medicine, as he has been bombarded with curriculum jargon that has left him even more confused.

The New Curriculum changed to Revised New Curriculum and, before he mastered that, it changed to Caps (Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement) – and I suspect it could soon change to Hats (How About Trying Silence).

A major challenge for the police has been to unclench the apartheid fist and smile at the community – something some have struggled to achieve. And then, when they do smile, it is sometimes with criminals, not only taking bribes but even drinking beer with them.

On the issue of policy, the iron fist of apartheid seemed to resurrect in reckless statements like “shoot to kill”. Judging by recent events it would seem the police service still lacks clear policy on the use of excessive force. Or, if they have it, they have certainly not been able to implement it.

But there could be an even deeper problem. We are so often told this country is awash with policy and that the real challenge lies in implementation and accountability. And that points to another problem – leadership.

This situation needs to be corrected otherwise bad decisions, cynicism and many more evils will continue to characterise the state. 

Zwelani Ncube is from Molteno