Unbridled brutality of mob justice

Unbeknown to many of us there is a silent but devastating revolution taking place in various parts of our country. Because we are still a divided society, many of us are not privy to the catastrophe that is occurring daily in our townships and in the marketplaces.

The reality is that almost daily in our townships, residents – predominantly young men – are being injured or killed by mobs meting out “people’s justice”.

As communities take the law into their own hands, in a bid to tackle crimes ranging from petty theft to rape and murder, they do so out of a sense of desperation to live in peace. Instead they are creating the opposite of what they seek.

As this contagion spreads, people are beginning to resort to medieval practices of burning “witches” in an attempt to deal with personal vendettas.

We should be worried about our collective mental stability.

I was involved in an interesting dialogue on Human Rights Day with a panel of speakers representing the police, law, social anthropology, psychology, religion and educationists, organised by the eThekwini Municipality and Democracy Development Programme.

The conversation focused on “mob justice” in SA and the role civil society could play in stemming this anarchic tide.

Mob violence in the streets and the marketplaces gives the lie to our claims of political maturity and democracy.

It signals collapse of the rule of law and absence of normal political conversation and decision-making.

Our political leaders, our police force and minister of police have failed to address the crime that ravages the lives of our citizens.

Subsequently, it seems that people are taking matters into their own hands and conducting kangaroo courts, with devastating results. In their clutches, petty criminals can lose their lives for a loaf of bread or a handbag. The question arises… is it a case of street justice, as desperation to survive in a dangerous environment, or rampant political anarchy?

Social psychology does offer relevant explanations for group or mob mentality and violence. When people are part of a group, they often experience de-individuation, or a loss of self-awareness.

When people de-individuate, they are less likely to follow normal restraints and inhibitions. Groups can generate a sense of emotional excitement, which can lead to behaviours that a person would not typically engage in if alone.

There have been several reported cases of vigilantism in KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town recently. All the victims were men aged between 17 and 26 who had been accused of theft.

It has been reported that in the most violent of these incidents, a 26-year-old was caught breaking into a house near his home in Philippi (a large township near Cape Town).

“Shouts from those who caught him quickly attracted a crowd. His hands and feet were bound and he was carried to his parents’ house.”

Whether the parents were intimidated or not is unclear, but they told the crowd of about 100 residents that their son was a thief and they should discipline him as they saw fit.

The victim was taken back to the scene of the crime and beaten to death.

In another incident a 24-year-old man had his arm broken at the elbow with a hammer, as well as two fingers, before being rescued by a passing police patrol. In yet another reported incident a 15-year-old had his feet burnt with melting plastic.

While bystanders cheer at the prospect of teaching offenders a lesson, not all these victims of mob justice are necessarily guilty. In some instances, because of their past record of criminal activities, they get punished every time there is a robbery. Seldom do they lay charges for fear of further violence.

And while the vigilante action is aimed at reducing crime, some residents say they now live in fear of groups who patrol the streets in the guise of unofficial neighbourhood watches.

In our discussions there was a united call from communities for a visible police presence in the townships.

They claimed that the attacks happen fast, in the blink of an eye.

“By the time police arrive, the suspect is dead,” said one participant.

The problem is compounded by the fact that even if the vigilantes are brought to court, the cases are often thrown out on account of lost dockets in the police stations or insufficient evidence to convict the alleged perpetrator.

Some participants claimed people were frustrated by slow responses from the police and had no faith in the justice system. The representatives from the police, however, felt otherwise.

The situation needs to be viewed within the context of our history, when vigilantism had its roots in the battle against state authorities.

Then, the police were seen as the enemy and police collaborators were subjected to kangaroo courts and brutally necklaced.

Today, vigilante action is a criminal act and unless we work closely with the police we will never be able to establish the rule of law and hence some semblance of collective justice.

It’s time for the government to heed the cries of its people, whose lives are being traumatised by violence.