Andries Tatane
Encyclopedia
Andries Tatane was a 33 year old South African citizen who died during a service delivery protest
in Ficksburg
. Six officers were arrested on 16 April 2011 in connection with his death and are currently still in police custody. Two of them will stand trial for murder, while the remaining four are facing charges of assault.
until 2008 when he left the ANC to join the breakaway party COPE. In the months before he died he left COPE to join the Meqheleng Concerned Citizens (MCC), an autonomous local community organisation. He was a mathematics teacher, a community activist, journalist, community newspaper publisher and possible independent candidate for the municipal elections due to take place in May 2011. He was married to Rose Tatane.
Municipal Offices, in Ficksburg
, Free State, South Africa. They were protesting poor service delivery in their area. The protestors were met by police officers, who attempted to disperse the crowd with water cannons. When Tatane saw them "picking" on an old man, he tried to intervene, at which point a few police officers pulled him out of the crowd and began to kick him and beat him with batons, before finally shooting him twice in the chest with rubber bullets. Tatane collapsed shortly after, and died on the scene 20 minutes later.
While Tatane's death as a result of police action during a protest is by no means a unique event in South Africa, it had notably garnered greater nationwide attention than any previous such occurrence. One of the main reasons for this was the fact that the entire incident was caught on camera, and later broadcast during the prime time evening news of the national broadcaster, the SABC.
The murder has been described as "a watershed moment in public perceptions of state violence after apartheid".
An investigation into his death was launched by the Independent Complaints Directorate
's commission. The South African Police Service
has also launched their own internal investigation into the matter. The six officers alleged to have been involved in the incident have subsequently been arrested and remain in police custody,. The death of Tatane has placed both the issue of rising anger over a lack of service delivery as well as police brutality in the media spotlight, with comparisons being drawn to the deaths of Hector Pieterson
and Steve Biko
at the hands of police during the height of apartheid.
It has also emerged that this was not an isolated incident and that the ICD has investigated 1 769 separate incidents of people dying in police custody or as a result of police action in 2010. National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele
's statement in late August 2009 that police officers should be able to "shoot to kill" without worrying about the consequences will undoubtedly be brought to the forefront again.
The ANC
's National Spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu
, condemned the brutality, but also chastised the SABC for broadcasting the footage during the prime time news, citing the fact that it might have upset sensitive viewers, calling on the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
(ICASA) to investigate the SABC's editorial decision. Mthembu has been one of the most vocal supporters of planned legislation to introduce a Media Appeals Tribunal
to govern the South African media; legislation which is currently held in abeyance.
After visiting the Tatane family in Meqheleng, Ficksburg, on 19 April 2011, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town
, Dr Thabo Makgoba
, directed attention to the lack of justice and delivery on promises which had preceded the incident and points out the irony of the protesters having been met with water cannons, “attacked with the very thing they don’t have the pleasure of in their daily lives.” He called on the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka
, to “visit and see the appalling conditions under which God’s people live” and the Minister of Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale
, to “provide houses". He added that "Minister Nathi Mthethwa
and President Zuma
should publicly apologise for this embarrassing act of aggression by police.”
The Archbishop has subsequently said: “Let us affirm and call for a renaming of our police services back to 'safety and security' and not a police 'force', for this force seems to maim and kill rather than offer safety and security.”
Protest in South Africa
South Africa has been dubbed "the protest capital of the world" and has one of the highest rates of public protest in the world. During the 2004/05 financial year about 6,000 protests were officially recorded, an unknown number of protests went unrecorded, and about 1,000 protests were illegally...
in Ficksburg
Ficksburg
Ficksburg is a town situated at the foot of the 450m high Imperani Mountain in Free State province, South Africa. The town was set up by General Johan Fick who won the territory in the Basotho Wars...
. Six officers were arrested on 16 April 2011 in connection with his death and are currently still in police custody. Two of them will stand trial for murder, while the remaining four are facing charges of assault.
Biography
Andries was a member of the ANCAfrican National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
until 2008 when he left the ANC to join the breakaway party COPE. In the months before he died he left COPE to join the Meqheleng Concerned Citizens (MCC), an autonomous local community organisation. He was a mathematics teacher, a community activist, journalist, community newspaper publisher and possible independent candidate for the municipal elections due to take place in May 2011. He was married to Rose Tatane.
Events surrounding his death
On 13 April 2011, Andries Tatane, together with 4000 other protestors, took to the streets and marched to SetsotoSetsoto Local Municipality
Setsoto Local Municipality is an administrative area in the Thabo Mofutsanyane District of the Free State in South Africa. The name is a Sesotho word meaning "beauty". Setsoto is headed by Ficksburg, followed by Senekal, Clocolan and Marquard. It is the getaway municipality to the Kingdom of...
Municipal Offices, in Ficksburg
Ficksburg
Ficksburg is a town situated at the foot of the 450m high Imperani Mountain in Free State province, South Africa. The town was set up by General Johan Fick who won the territory in the Basotho Wars...
, Free State, South Africa. They were protesting poor service delivery in their area. The protestors were met by police officers, who attempted to disperse the crowd with water cannons. When Tatane saw them "picking" on an old man, he tried to intervene, at which point a few police officers pulled him out of the crowd and began to kick him and beat him with batons, before finally shooting him twice in the chest with rubber bullets. Tatane collapsed shortly after, and died on the scene 20 minutes later.
While Tatane's death as a result of police action during a protest is by no means a unique event in South Africa, it had notably garnered greater nationwide attention than any previous such occurrence. One of the main reasons for this was the fact that the entire incident was caught on camera, and later broadcast during the prime time evening news of the national broadcaster, the SABC.
Aftermath
Following Tatane's death, there has been public outrage about the manner in which he died.The murder has been described as "a watershed moment in public perceptions of state violence after apartheid".
An investigation into his death was launched by the Independent Complaints Directorate
Independent Complaints Directorate
The Independent Complaints Directorate is an agency of the South African government responsible for investigating complaints against the South African Police Service and municipal police services....
's commission. The South African Police Service
South African Police Service
The South African Police Service is the national police force of the Republic of South Africa. Its 1116 police stations in South Africa are divided according to the provincial borders, and a Provincial Commissioner is appointed in each province...
has also launched their own internal investigation into the matter. The six officers alleged to have been involved in the incident have subsequently been arrested and remain in police custody,. The death of Tatane has placed both the issue of rising anger over a lack of service delivery as well as police brutality in the media spotlight, with comparisons being drawn to the deaths of Hector Pieterson
Hector Pieterson
Hector Pieterson became the subject of an iconic image of the 1976 Soweto uprising in South Africa when a news photograph by Sam Nzima of the dying Hector being carried by another student while his sister ran next to them, was published around the world. He was killed at the age of 12 when the...
and Steve Biko
Steve Biko
Stephen Biko was a noted anti-apartheid activist in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s. A student leader, he later founded the Black Consciousness Movement which would empower and mobilize much of the urban black population. Since his death in police custody, he has been called a martyr of the...
at the hands of police during the height of apartheid.
It has also emerged that this was not an isolated incident and that the ICD has investigated 1 769 separate incidents of people dying in police custody or as a result of police action in 2010. National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele
Bheki Cele
Bheki Cele was the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service until October 2011, when he was suspended from duty, due to allegations of corruption.. He was appointed to this position in July 2009, replacing Jackie Selebi, who was suspended in January 2008 following charges of...
's statement in late August 2009 that police officers should be able to "shoot to kill" without worrying about the consequences will undoubtedly be brought to the forefront again.
The ANC
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
's National Spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu
Jackson Mthembu
Jackson Mthembu is the African National Congress' national spokesperson. In 1997, while Mthembu was serving as MEC for Transport in Mpumalanga, he was criticized for spending R2.3 million on ten BMWs.-References:...
, condemned the brutality, but also chastised the SABC for broadcasting the footage during the prime time news, citing the fact that it might have upset sensitive viewers, calling on the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa is an independent regulatory body of the South African government, established in 2000 by the to regulate both the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors in the public interest....
(ICASA) to investigate the SABC's editorial decision. Mthembu has been one of the most vocal supporters of planned legislation to introduce a Media Appeals Tribunal
Media Appeals Tribunal
The Media Appeals Tribunal was proposed in an African National Congress 2010 discussion paper, which, in turn, builds upon a resolution adopted at the African National Congress' 2007 National Conference in Polokwane...
to govern the South African media; legislation which is currently held in abeyance.
After visiting the Tatane family in Meqheleng, Ficksburg, on 19 April 2011, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town
Archbishop of Cape Town
The Archbishop of Cape Town is the Primate / Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.The current Archbishop is the Most Reverend Thabo MakgobaRobert Gray was the first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town.-List of Bishops and Archbishops:...
, Dr Thabo Makgoba
Thabo Makgoba
Thabo Cecil Makgoba is the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town. He had served in the past as Bishop of Grahamstown.-Biography:...
, directed attention to the lack of justice and delivery on promises which had preceded the incident and points out the irony of the protesters having been met with water cannons, “attacked with the very thing they don’t have the pleasure of in their daily lives.” He called on the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka
Sicelo Shiceka
Sicelo Shiceka is a South African politician.A member of the African National Congress, Shiceka is a member of the National Assembly and was chosen by President Jacob Zuma as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in May 2009...
, to “visit and see the appalling conditions under which God’s people live” and the Minister of Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale
Tokyo Sexwale
Mosima Gabriel Sexwale , commonly known as Tokyo Sexwale , is the current Minister of Human Settlements of South Africa. A South African businessman, politician, anti-apartheid activist, and former political prisoner. His nickname of "Tokyo" is derived from his involvement with the sport of...
, to “provide houses". He added that "Minister Nathi Mthethwa
Nathi Mthethwa
Emmanuel Nkosinathi Mthethwa is a South African politician from Kwa Mbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal and a member of the ANC. He was the ANC Chief Whip in the National Assembly. After Thabo Mbeki's resignation, he became Minister of Safety and Security on 25 September 2008 as a member of President...
and President Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
should publicly apologise for this embarrassing act of aggression by police.”
The Archbishop has subsequently said: “Let us affirm and call for a renaming of our police services back to 'safety and security' and not a police 'force', for this force seems to maim and kill rather than offer safety and security.”