By Wandile Dludlu.

The Nation once again walked up to very concerning news, “police shot dead a young man this past week on a suspicion that he was involved in a crime of cattle rustling”.

This well-known gentleman within the sports fraternity has added a number of casualties of innocent Swazis who die without having an opportunity before a competent court to prove or disprove their alleged wrong doings. 

This is a very bad recurrent practice by Eswatini Royal Police Service (REPS), police are well trained on how to investigate, collect evidence, apprehend a suspect and procedurally produce such persons before a court, whatever the level of that court, depending on the degree of the seriousness of the crime a suspect is alleged to have done. 

The means or the tools to carry the work, like handcuffs, boots, uniforms, specialized vehicles, sniffer dogs, tayzers and trained personnel are availed to effect an arrest.

But sometimes community members, families of the suspects or any other additional support required from the society, gives the  police officers support to do their work as we pursue justice in resolving social problems.

We however must understand that after all is said and done, the most underlying factor which determines the manner and culture of service that society gets or not in each space and time of a Nation like us, is the “Kind of State” we have. 

The Swazi State is fundamentally an oppressive one, thus as a ruthless regime, it gives less courtesy, recognition and or power to her citizens, people’s rights are not protected nor guaranteed in reality, for that serves well the positions and interests of the ruling elites in our context Royalty and its international allied politico/business class. 

This leaves emaSwati naked in as far as enjoying full protection, due process, and redress should police use or be suspected to have used excessive force to circumvent the whole process in the  administration of justice to the poor emaSwati who daily never reach court, but cough blood as they take their last breath in the hands of trigger happy lot in Eswatini. 

This is deliberate, and a net effect of a state and her government whose existence is not for her people, but for Tinkhundla beneficiaries to maintain ruthless and brutal cops culture, “the bad cop is the best cop syndrome" for its defense and implementation of harsh policies and often times anti people decisions, a coessive State apparatus is imperative for this regime.

That’s then how and why notwithstanding society’s endless complaints about this deep seated police culture, we still don’t have an independent police oversight body in which ordinary emaSwati unhappy about sometimes criminal, irrational and outrightly offensive conduct of police can go seek redress for justice to prevails, it's not ideal for the current government to hold accountable her own big weapon needed against the people. 

The same can be said of soldiers, warders and now a third force trained brigade and planted in communities, schools and churches with one objective, seat on the kneck of emaSwati for their freedom is a threat to our gravy train looting escapade.