Khosa judgement: A demand for SANDF accountability
4 June 2020
The C-19 People’s Coalition is deeply concerned by the report of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Board of Inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Mr Collins Khosa. The report was submitted to the High Court on Tuesday, 26 May.
Mr Khosa is but one of the people who lost his life due to unlawful and excessive use of force. He was accused of breaking lockdown regulations when in fact, he was not. He was brutally assaulted at his home in Alexandra. According to his family and witnesses, he had beer poured over his head and body, his hands held behind his back, he was chocked, kicked, punched, slammed against a cement wall, smashed against a steel gate and hit with the butt of a machine gun.
The SANDF members responsible for Mr Khosa’s death must be held accountable as a matter of justice, to prevent a repetition of these abuses and to restore trust in the security forces. Other members of the security forces including SAPS, Metro Police and private security, who have broken the law in a similar fashion must also be brought to book. Without this, the family are left to bear the incalculable cost of losing a loved one in such a brutal manner. The public will be forced to bear the cost of the trauma inflicted by the security services who are a law unto themselves. But worst of all is the irreparable harm of impunity to the social contract and social fabric of our society. A lack of accountability destroys the trust needed to emerge out of this crisis together.
Mr Khosa’s killing has left behind his three children, wife (who was also assaulted) and his family. Neighbours who witnessed and filmed the incident reported that their equipment was confiscated and the footage deleted. They too were assaulted.