Political analyst Khaya Sithole says government must clarify the limit of the powers of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members.
There have been reports of alleged brutality by some SANDF members who have been deployed to support the police to manage the 21-day nationwide lockdown.
In his address to the nation on Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa called on the SANDF members to act within the law at all times.
He cautioned them against harming South Africans and instead ensure their safety.
Earlier, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula condemned the alleged conduct of the SANDF members but called on members of the public to avoid provoking them.
Sithole says in the South African context, the law is difficult to implement as there’s a culture of non-compliance.
He says, “The first problem is if you are going to deal with the problem of the SANDF, the first question is why do they need guns? When the use of the gun is violated, why do they carry them? So, those are the types of problems that you need to deal with because others would say well, in the absence of the guns no one will take them seriously. That speaks more to the culture of impunity that prevails across society, the culture of non-compliance to laws and regulations, so again, it’s new territory, and it’s a learning process. Nobody knew what the conditions were going to be like once the lockdown was implemented.”
INFOGRAPHIC: How citizens can report security forces
Security forces to act within the law
President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on security forces to act within the law at all times.
There have been reports of alleged brutality by some South African National Defence Force (SANDF) members who have been deployed to support police to manage the nationwide lockdown.
An Ekurhuleni Metro Police officer has also been arrested in Gauteng in connection with the alleged fatal shooting of a man at Vosloorus township, east of Johannesburg.
Three people have now died of the virus in the country while the number of cases has risen to 1326.
INFOGRAPHIC: SA COVID-19 cases:
Addressing the nation on Monday night, Ramaphosa cautioned security forces against harming South Africans and instead ensuring their safety.
“We have made it clear that the task of our security personnel is to support, to reassure and to comfort our people and to ensure that peace and order is maintained in our country. They know that they must act within the law at all times and that they must not cause harm to any of our people in any way whatsoever,” He adds.
In the video below, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation:
