Preventing the abuse of less-lethal weapons in South Africa

How should the country strengthen control over weapons used to police protests and in prisons?

Date: 2019-11-28

Time: 10:30 to 12:30

Venue: Conference room, ISS Pretoria, Block C, Brooklyn Court (paid parking available at Brooklyn Mall)

RSVP: Penny Mandula, Phone: +27 12 346 9500 Email: [email protected]

Attend via webcast

The recent shooting of actor Patrick Shai highlights the risk posed by the less-lethal weapons used in the policing of protests and in prisons in South Africa. Shai was shot with 11 rubber bullets while trying to mediate during a protest in Soweto.

This seminar will discuss evidence of abuse of these weapons, laws and procedures governing their use, the effectiveness of accountability measures, and how to strengthen control over their use. A new ISS monograph on the use of less-lethal weapons in South Africa will be launched at the seminar.

Chair: Gugu Dube, Researcher, Transnational Threats and International Crime, ISS

Speakers: 

David Bruce, Independent Researcher
Umesh Raga, Directorate, Legal Services, Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services
Dr Thomas Probert, Head of Research, Freedom from Violence

The project is funded by the EU’s European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) and implemented by the ISS. Project partners are: Omega Research Foundation; Justiçia Global; Legal Resources Centre; and KontraS. Speakers appear in their personal capacity and cannot be seen to represent or reflect the position of the EU.

Picture: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp