‘Less lethal’ weapons have resulted in deaths and severe injuries, yet there are still no guidelines
In May 15, in response to the assault on and the death of Collins Khosa in Alexandra township by members of the South African National Defence Force, Judge Hans Fabricius ruled in the high court that police and army actions in enforcing the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions called for urgent guidelines on the use of force.
Given the potential of these weapons to cause significant injury and death, developing appropriate policy guidelines in their use in crowd management situations is crucial. One of the risks of the use of less lethal equipment is the assumption that they are always less lethal, often leading to their indiscriminate use in crowd management situations, “without exhausting all other possible peaceful means first”.
Shotguns and rubber bullets were the predominant weapon used, resulting in injuries, including to the backs of fleeing protestors, severe eye injuries caused to bystanders from ricochet bullets and serious injuries to the face and body of several individuals shot at close range. Although these less lethal weapons have become popular with both law enforcement agencies and the military, they have several limitations: structural, tactical, and doctrinal. For instance, the major limitation of modern kinetic energy weapons — rubber bullets — is that their accuracy deteriorates at longer distances compounding the risk of injury.
South Africa is not unique in its lack of agreed norms or guidelines regarding the use of less lethal weapons. The 2019 United Nations Human Rights Guidance on Less-Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement is the latest and most authoritative guidance on the subject, reflecting a global attempt to ensure that public order policing can be done lawfully and without risk of harm to members of the public.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Covid-19: Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, SA Air Force headquarters temporarily closedThis after positive cases of Covid-19 were found.
Read more »
SA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux insists he's going nowhereSA Rugby chief executive Jurie Roux has denied reports linking him with a plum move to the World Rugby headquarters in Dublin‚ Ireland.
Read more »
Nearly 1 million Covid-19 tests conducted in SA, cases climb to 55,421SA's Covid-19 death toll has climbed to 1,210, while cases have increased to 55,421.
Read more »
Cricket SA gets a boost as KFC renews sponsorshipCricket South Africa (CSA) received a boost on Wednesday after the embattled organisation managed to retain KFC as title sponsors of the Proteas Twenty20 Internationals and the KFC mini-cricket programme.
Read more »
Cricket SA gets a boost as KFC renews sponsorshipCricket South Africa (CSA) received a boost on Wednesday after the embattled organisation managed to retain KFC as title sponsors of the Proteas Twenty20 Internationals and the KFC mini-cricket programme.
Read more »
England rugby player tells of racial abuse on SA tourAccusations of racism surface just as the local governing body pronounces on the progress it has made in transformation
Read more »