Lockdown lessons: violence and policing in a pandemic

This report analyses patterns of crime, safety and policing during one of the world’s most restrictive lockdowns.

Patterns of violence significantly changed with the introduction of South Africa’s 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. By monitoring murder trends, carrying out interviews and conducting a survey of over 5 000 residents in Cape Town, the Western Cape Government and ISS researchers sought to identify lessons that could inform post-pandemic safety governance in South Africa’s most violent police areas.

About the authors

Andrew Faull is a Senior Researcher, Justice and Violence Prevention, at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

Jane Kelly is a Research Officer at the Centre for Social Science Research, University of Cape Town.

Amanda Dissel is Director, Policy and Research at the Western Cape Department of Community Safety