In brief
Despite the end of apartheid nearly thirty years ago, torture methods reminiscent of that brutal era linger within South Africa's police, as evidenced by a New York Times investigation into the ongoing practice known as "tubing."
It may be surprising to learn that a brutal form of torture historically observed during South Africa's apartheid era has not been eradicated from the nation's police practices. A recent investigation by The New York Times reveals that, three decades following the end of apartheid, a method known as "tubing" remains prevalent among South African police forces, despite existing legal frameworks intended to eliminate it. Originally, tubing involved the enforcement of a tire tube being tightly wrapped around a victim’s nose and mouth. In contemporary times, however, this form of torture has adapted to involve placing a plastic bag over an individual’s head. Collaborating with the South African journalism nonprofit Viewfinder, which focuses on police misconduct, The Times examined a substantial volume of police complaints and uncovered approximately 1,700 allegations of tubing spanning over an eleven-year term. Experts suggest that the true incidence of these incidents is likely much higher since a considerable portion of victims choose not to lodge formal complaints. This pioneering data analysis highlights a troubling reality: a government that once fought against apartheid and was hailed as champions of human rights is currently presiding over a police force perpetrating acts of torture against its citizens.
