Legacies of violence : an in-depth analysis of two case studies based on interviews with perpetrators of a "necklace" murder and with Eugene De Kock

police and anny were deployed in the township. In addition, the commandos were mobilised to support the efforts to break the consumer boycott. Chidester (1991) describes the commandos as a system where civil and military functions came together "as white settlers formed a citizens anny to enforce their common political, social, and economic interests against indigenous opposition" (Chidester, 1991, p. 92). To strengthen the force of the commandos, coloured commandos were established, which was an event of historical significance since by definition the commando system was formed from white citizens. In the course of these events several clashes between the police and the residents of Mlungisi occurred, which resulted in a number of deaths attributed to police shootings. The worst reported case of police violence was a massacre of fourteen people who were killed when the police and anny tried to break a meeting that was held in a church building (see Chapter 4). Other deaths in the township were a result of necklace killings by marshals. Marshals were usually self-appointed young men, who were responsible for identifying dissenters, strike breakers and those believed to be police informers. On the 8th December 1985 a group of marshals fetched Nosipho Zamela from her home to face accusations that she had an affair with a policeman. Initially it was decided that Nosipho would be flogged, which was the punishment normally given to people who broke rules of the consumer boycott. However, there was a shift from this position after a series of events in which the small group of accusers was joined by a crowd. It was then decided that Nosipho would be "necklaced." The following section deals with the events that preceded the burning and killing of Nosipho Zamela.

Grantor

Department of Philosophy

Year dc:date.issued

1999

Author dc:creator

• Gobodo-Madikizela, Pumla

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/39992

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/39992