Americans warned of COPS brutality

Armed police officers along one of the streets in Mbabane. (File Pic)

MBABANE – American citizens wishing to visit Swaziland have been warned of police brutality in the country.

The potential tourists have also been warned of a slow response to crime alert and a critical threat for crime among many horrors.
The warning came from The United States Government Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) which is responsible for researching and alerting American citizens on possible terrorist incidents and general crime.

OSAC is one of many initiatives formed after the September 11 terror attack on the USA.
The report states that protests are not uncommon in Swaziland and were usually quashed by the police through the use of force.

“Americans are cautioned to stay away from demonstrations, as the Swazi police use force to control and disperse protestors; tear gas and rubber bullets (shot at close range) are the most common forms of crowd control. During the course of such events, the police do not distinguish between ‘innocent bystanders’ and protestors, and the possibility of becoming a collateral casualty should be of concern to anyone in close proximity to a demonstration.”

“The police’s response to incidents is slow, if at all, unless they are in the general area where the incident occurred. They consider a 30-minute response time adequate, even in urban areas. The police are generally willing to assist but often lack transportation and resources to respond to and investigate crimes. Nevertheless, victims of any crime are encouraged to report the incident to local authorities. Without proper documentation of the incident, the chances of recovering stolen items or arresting the suspects are minimal. Lack of a police report will hamper the US Embassy’s ability to work with the police on your behalf,” the report states.

It further states that the police take long to respond after the emergency number has been called.
“Emergency: 999 (This is the Swazi equivalent to dialling 911 in the United States, but the response time is usually longer than that in the US, and callers may be redirected to other police offices for assistance.)

“Phone numbers/lines to some police stations change from time to time – sometimes as often as twice a year — and calls to police stations occasionally go unanswered,” the report states.
Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta said they were trained on human rights and do not use force on innocent people.

“When we control crowds we don’t close our eyes,” she said.

They say Coronation Park a no-go area

MBABANE – The Coronation Park, the country’s largest relaxation park was said to be dangerous and should be avoided at night.

“Avoid the parks in Mbabane. In particular, Coronation Park should be avoided at night and only visited as a group (more than two people) during daylight hours. This is often the rally point for marches and demonstrations. At night, criminals have been known to loiter in the park.”
It was also said the most reoccurring crimes involve robbing victims on the streets, particularly in residential areas, regardless of the time of day.

“Criminals are generally interested in cellular phones and cash (i.e., items that are easily liquidated). Visitors should always be aware of their surroundings and maintain visual/physical contact with their belongings.”

Swaziland a ‘critical’ threat for crime

MBABANE – The American government warned that crime in Swaziland has reached a critical stage.

The Department of State has designated Swaziland as a ‘critical’ threat for crime.
“Although criminals considered Mbabane, the capital city, and Manzini, the urban industrial centre, prime grounds for operations due to the number of people, businesses, and affluent areas, the rate of crime (both violent and non-violent) reported in small towns and rural areas increased in 2012. Congested urban areas are particularly dangerous at night; and, occasional daytime larceny has been reported.

The presence of other pedestrians on the street should not be taken as an indication of a secure/safe environment; however, mob justice does exist; suspects have found themselves pursued and beaten by bystanders.” The report states that rape is an all-too-frequent crime and tends to be perpetuated in or along isolated/desolate urban and rural areas or roads.

“Residential burglary and non-residential petty theft are the most commonly reported crimes. Most residents take residential security seriously and attempt to protect their homes accordingly. Although residential guard dogs are commonly used as a deterrent to would-be burglars, they should not be a resident’s only line of defence. Police received several reports in 2012 from victims that their residential guard dog(s) was found drugged and unable to provide a physical deterrent in the face of burglars. Criminals have also been known to enter residences while the occupants are home.

They usually brandish weapons and will resort to deadly force if victims resist. The general modus operandi of robbers is to target residences or businesses that have little-to-no security measures in place, steal cash or items that can be easily liquidated, and escape without physically harming victims, but they will use force if necessary,” says the report.

It also said drugs, especially dagga (marijuana) are common.
“Farmers grow dagga domestically primarily as a cash crop. Occasionally, passengers are arrested attempting to smuggle relatively small amounts of other drugs (i.e., heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines) into the country through the Matsapha International Airport or Swaziland’s porous borders with South African and Mozambique.”

RSP not at all pleased with OSAC report

MBABANE – The Royal Swaziland Police Service is not pleased with the OSAC report compiled by the United States Department of state.

Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta said police have a charter of service on how to respond to crime, and they do their best to adhere to it.
“In urban areas we take five to 15 minutes while we take 30 minutes in rural areas. I don’t know if those who compiled the report have taken the charter into consideration. In rural areas it should be noted that the road infrastructure is not up to standard which delays our response to crime scenes. Despite this, we always try our best to arrive as early as possible.”

Hleta said crime should not be reported to any traditional authorities but should be reported to the RSP.
“We do not have any complaints from visitors whose cases were mishandled. Sometimes we break cases after the visitors have left the country, which makes it difficult for them to know how the investigation fared.”

The PRO said the 999 emergency number was working well but that some Swazi communities still had to be educated on how to efficiently use it.
“People who call 999 are not redirected to call another number unless the caller is next to a police station. He can then be told to go to that nearest police station for safety. I also do not know what they mean by saying phone numbers are usually changed in police stations. It is not the RSP which is responsible for the phone numbers but the service provider. In such cases the service provider also diverts calls from the old number to the new one,” she said.

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