AFRICA - House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrats

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cials have permitted the infusion of new personnel at senior levels, from both inside
and outside the SAPS; these appointments also have served to promote affirmative
action within the SAPS. However, the SAPS has been left with deficiencies in midlevel
leadership, and institutional memory that have been harmful to its overall performance.
The SAPS continued to be understaffed, overworked, and undertrained.
There was a consistent pattern of attacks and killings between ANC and IFP
members in the province of KwaZulu Natal; however, the level of violence diminished
during the year (see Section 1.a.).
There were a number of bombings during the year, which resulted in numerous
casualties, including 9 pipe and car bomb explosions in Cape Town, for which no
organization claimed responsibility (see Section 1.a.). This represents a decline from
the 80 bomb explosions that occurred in 1999. Since November 1998, 16 PAGAD
members were convicted and 14 were acquitted in connection with urban terror attacks
(see Section 1.a.). In July D. Essop and R. Shaik were sentenced to 7 years
in prison for possession of a pipe bomb.
There were incidents of abuse, including killings, of black farm laborers by their
white employers, and NGO’s claim that rural police and courts refuse to arrest
whites in many incidents (see Section 1.a.).
There were a few illegal strikes that resulted in some worker violence, in particular
incidents of intimidation and threats of violence by striking workers against
nonstriking and replacement workers. In December during a legal strike of security
guards, strikers used intimidation and violence against nonstriking and replacement
guards and also against journalists covering the strike. Nonstriking security guards
were harassed by groups of strikers while taking public transportation; the groups
stripped them, forced them to lay down in dirt, and beat them. Two guards were
shot to death in December in Cape Town in what police believe was a strike-related
attack (see Section 1.a. and 6.a.).
Conflict between warring taxi companies led to gun battles and other street violence,
and resulted in the deaths and injuries of bystanders in several cities (see
Section 1.a.).
Vigilante action and mob justice resulted in attacks on suspected criminals and
drug dealers, some of whom were tortured (see Section 1.a.).
Xenophobia is a growing problem. Xenophobia was expressed in institutional and
social interactions with foreigners, particularly those from other African countries.
There were a number of violent attacks on foreigners, including refugees and asylum
seekers. Many of those attacked were hawkers and street vendors. Foreigners
faced harsh reactions from antiimmigrant groups such as the Unemployed Masses
of South Africa, which criticized immigrants for job losses, and in August demonstrated
against employers who hired noncitizen workers. NGO’s continued to encourage
the Government to give equal access to health, education, and legal protection
to foreigners. The U.N. High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR), the National
Consortium on Refugee Affairs, and the Human Rights Commission (HRC) continued
their ‘‘Roll Back Xenophobia’’ campaign to raise public awareness of the situation
and rights of refugees and the difference between refugees and economic migrants.
The campaign has produced publications and organized several public relations
events.
Three suspects were arrested for a series of bombings in January 1997, including
a mosque in Rustenberg that injured two persons; the trial concluded during the
year, but the sentence was not announced by year’s end (see Section 5).
Prison conditions do not always meet the country’s minimum legal requirements.
Food, especially for prisoners with HIV/AIDS and other medical problems, frequently
is of poor quality and quantity. NGO’s reported that prison employees steal
food from prisoners. Although prisoners generally have access to health care, prison
officials sometimes withheld prescribed treatment as punishment. Severe overcrowding
in some prisons led to poor health; as many as 75 inmates may occupy
a cell designed to hold 40 inmates. The Department of Correctional Services (DCS),
which manages prisons, reported that in July there were 169,0000 prisoners in facilities
designed to hold only 101,000. In September 8,262 prisoners awaiting trial
but unable to post bail due to poverty were released in an effort to reduce overcrowding.
There were abuses of prisoners, including physical and sexual assaults by
prison employees and other prisoners. Press reports indicated that detainees awaiting
trial contracted HIV/AIDS through rape. Male and female prisoners are held
separately; however, female prison wards are often on the same grounds as male
wards, and Amnesty International reported rapes of women by other prisoners.
Juveniles between the ages of 14 and 18 accused of serious crimes, including murder
or rape, sometimes are placed in pretrial detention in prisons with adult offenders
(see Section 5). DCS statistics from May documented that there were 27,638
youth offenders (prisoners under age 21), 4,253 of whom were 17 years of age or
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