Ten people dead as gunmen ambush family in South Africa
Al JazeeraAPR 2023
Although the Police Service has been unusually quick in their reaction to the incident, VIP Protection Units — often known as blue lights — are part of the wider problem within South Africa's police force. While VIP protection is understandable for the President and other elite members of the state, the reality is blue lights have expanded into a militia-like group to cause violence for political reasons. These units need to be investigated and overhauled.
Police can make South Africa safe, especially when used correctly. With public trust in the Police Service low, building and sustaining public relations must now be the police's priority. The Police Service holds immense potential, even though the culture of the system has degraded since the post-apartheid reforms of the mid-1990s.