The controversy over the role of the elite special investigations unit known as the Scorpions has festered in South Africa since almost the inception of that organization. Because of the way in which the Scorpions have been kept separate from the regular police services there has been considerable tension between the SAPS and the new organization. Naturally some of the questions that emerge are: Who is to blame for the divisaions? Who is to blame for the apparent mismanagement and misuse of the Scorpions? Who is to blame for the inability of the new, and in some circles privileged, to make a serious dent in crime? And what role do elite organizations have to play in policing in South Africa?
At least on the contentiousness between SAPS and the Scorpions one voice has weighed in. The police will not be thrilled by his identity or by what he has to say:
The beleaguered Scorpions received support from an unlikely quarter on Wednesday when a former member of the supposedly hostile SA Police Service spilled the beans on what he believes is a “dysfunctional” and “sick” police service that is being destroyed from within by its own senior leadership.
Superintendent Ivan Myers was dismissed as commander of the Maitland dog unit earlier this year for speaking to the media about a controversy relating to the underfeeding of police dogs at the unit.
The accusations of police dysfunction are a bit tough to dispute. Whether or not this serves to justify the Scorpions is another question, but certainly it is in that organization's interest to reveal fissures within the police and to paint that organization as helpless.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
