Reports of 'apartheid-style' police torture stacking up

Business Day reports that her remarks ahead of a briefing to the committee by the Independent Complaints Directorate followed reports of serious police abuses only last weekend when patrons of a nightclub in Hillbrow were beaten and abused during a raid. Chiktlnga said MPs were getting more reports of torture 'not seen since apartheid' by police. Many of these complaints came from protesters and she wondered whether they were even aware of the ICD's existence. There were complaints of police using suffocation as a torture method, along with other means to force people to talk, she said. Chikunga also reminded the meeting that in a constitutional SA, people had a right to remain silent and 'we can't go back to pre-1994 behaviour'. The complaints had been raised with police management. Full Business Day report See: Minister wants 'dirty cops' suspended without pay (below)