When President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed members of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) on the eve of the lockdown in March, he told them this was “a mercy mission”, “a life-restoration mission”, “a life-saving mission”, “a life-giving mission”.
He told them not to “skiet en donder” but to be supportive of the people.
But before long the SANDF soldiers, alongside their colleagues in the SA Police Service and municipal forces, were dondering the people. What’s worse, their political principals – the security cluster ministers – were doing nothing to discourage this behaviour. Alexandra resident Collins Khosa fell victim to this behaviour when he succumbed to injuries sustained when he was assaulted by soldiers and metro cops. His sin was to drink beer in his yard.