Latest from Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Trust in South African police at an all time low, report shows
Public trust in the South African Police Service is at an all-time low, with just over a fifth of citizens having faith in the police since 2022 (File photo by Delwyn Verasamy/M&G) Public trust in the The study by the Ramaphosa said he was setting up a judicial commission of inquiry to be chaired by the acting deputy chief justice, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to investigate what he called 'the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates'. According to From 1998 to 2010, the average level of trust ranged between 39% and 42%, but dropped sharply in the 2011-13 period following the In 2021, trust in the police fell to 27%, apparently as a result of the 'The findings of this study underscore the urgent need for SAPS to prioritise building public trust and confidence,' the HSRC's Benjamin Roberts, the principal investigator of the study, commented. 'By adopting a more community-focused and accountable approach to policing, we can work towards creating safer and more secure communities for all South Africans.' In his live address on Sunday, Ramaphosa said the allegations against Mchunu and others made last week by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi posed a grave threat to the rule of law and national security. Mchunu has denied the allegations against him. On Monday, the HSRC said trust in the police had fallen in all provinces over the past two and a half decades, although there were notable disparities. The Eastern Cape and Northern Cape consistently recorded the highest levels of trust, averaging 43% and 42% respectively, while Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal had the lowest average trust levels at 29% and 34% respectively, slumping to just 18% in 2024-25. 'Provinces such as the Free State and Limpopo, which once reported relatively high trust, have also experienced marked declines, reaching 23% by 2024-25. By the time of the 2024-25 survey round, no province recorded trust levels above 30%,' the HSRC said. 'The trend points to a deepening legitimacy crisis for SAPS across the country, with historically higher-trust provinces converging downward toward the levels of deep scepticism observed in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.' The report added that public views of the police were influenced by broader evaluations of democratic performance and the trustworthiness of the government. 'Public confidence in democratic institutions has shown a strong downward trend over the past 17 years, as part of a general pattern of diminishing political support. Police confidence is not immune to the pull-down effect of these wider trends,' it said. Established in 1968 as a statutory research agency, the HSRC's mandate is to inform the effective formulation and monitoring of government policy, evaluate policy implementation and encourage public debate.
Mail & Guardian
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Kenya protests: When press freedom is under siege courageous journalists enlighten the world
The Communications Authority of Kenya ordered that the commemoration of the 2024 protests not be covered. Photo: File As Kenyans flooded the streets of Nairobi on 25 June in commemoration of the first anniversary of the Maandamano (protests) and the 7 July the Saba Saba protests, the coverage of journalist Larry Madowo stood out. The Communication Authority of Kenya had ordered all broadcasters to desist from live coverage of the Maandamano and Saba Saba protests, an action that kept press freedom under siege. But CNN's Madowo still defied this. The peaceful protests were geared towards remembering the 60 fallen victims opposing the Finance Bill in 2024 and against gross human rights violations and inequalities. Saba Saba Day commemorates the 7 July 1990 protests, when Kenyans demanded a multi-party democracy. Press freedom is the cornerstone of democratic societies. The communication authority's undemocratic actions violated articles 33 and 34 of Kenya's Constitution and suffocated digital civic spaces, free press and the independence of media. Madowo, a former BBC North America and Kenya Television (KTV) correspondent from Siaya county, captured the live protests in video recordings, interviewing protestors and broadcasting to inform the world of the developing stories. 'Police fired tear gas to disperse thousands who took to the streets to mark the one year anniversary of anti-government protests that left dozens of dead', among other tragic incidents, Madowo reported. How would the world have known that 300 people were wounded , 67 in a critical condition and 10 dead during the Saba Saba protests when Kenya's army and police responded? One might argue that Madowo was doing exactly what he is paid for by CNN, but he has been threatened by pro-Ruto government apologists and covering such events is courageous. On 7 July, Madowo posted on X that an attempt on his life had been made and pro-government voices had called for his arrest. He also uses his digital social handles to counteract misinformation and disinformation by providing information on what is actually happening. For example, in the case of Boniface Kariuki's death, the Kenyan police said he had attacked a police station but the vendor was selling masks to make a living as usual. Journalism is the pursuit of truth no matter who it is against it. It is the pillar that holds governance accountable in democratic societies. In this age and era, journalism is facing occupational hazards. Not only are journalists threatened, governments are trying to turn them into proxy public relations officers, prompting them to alter the truth and breed disinformation in news rooms, an act aimed at destroying the independence of the media. This is also an era of the internet and artificial intelligence where social media can trend with fabricated stories, escalating disinformation and misinformation. It is an era of the rise of non-professional citizen journalists where anyone with a smartphone can provide news, which can be positive, but not if it hasn't been fact checked. This is an age in which journalists are cyberstalked, surveilled, harassed online, while on the front line they are beaten and their cameras confiscated by security officials. Amid such occupational hazards, reporting such as Madowo did during the Maandamano anniversary reminds the profession to remain firm and strong. Driving public discourse and amplifying the voices of the marginalised is key to promoting transparency and accountability in democratic societies. We should all stand tall and protect journalists who have dedicated their lives to informing and educating us because, by protecting them, we protect our freedoms and societies. It is upon journalists themselves to be ethical and professional and to separate journalism from activism and public relations. Unless they do so, they are no different from bloggers for hire. Without safeguarding freedom of the press, independence and viability of the media a society is not democratic. Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst.
Mail & Guardian
5 hours ago
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
US making diphtheria great again? Why SA's public health experts are worried about America's RFK Jr
Misinformation fuelled by US health secretary Robert Kennedy Jr is creating a dangerous lack of trust in vaccines and South Africa's public health experts are scared. Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr They used to call it the Before vaccines were widely available, But one That's when US health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr accused RFK Jr's vaccine stance is completely at odds with the global public health community and years of science, ignoring It's the latest in a long and storied history of RFK Jr's South Africa has also been hit by But, says Heidi Larson, the director of the 'Events in the US absolutely have global repercussions,' she says. 'They embolden others, especially those still undecided about vaccination, and that's where the danger lies.' The trouble with RFK Since launching in 2000, Gavi has been credited for protecting an entire generation — The US had been among the top three To support his attack on Gavi and DTP, the US health secretary points to a 'He cherry-picks a poorly conducted study and ignores mountains of evidence to the contrary,' says Salim Abdool Karim, a leading epidemiologist and director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa, A recent South Africa, like many higher-income countries, uses a newer version of the vaccine than Gavi, called Recent diphtheria outbreaks show how quickly things can go wrong when vaccination rates slow down. The WHO found that the Because it is such a rare and deadly disease that spreads easily through coughing and sneezing, Deepfakes and institutionalised disinformation As RFK Jr took to social media to spread more disinformation about vaccines, a video of an AI-generated Abdool Karim, a South African epidemiologist and virologist internationally recognised for his work on HIV/Aids and Covid-19, surfaced. The video was a deepfake (a manipulated image created to misrepresent someone or something) and hijacked Abdool Karim's credibility and likeness to falsely warn viewers that those vaccinated against Covid-19 vaccines may be facing deadly danger. In reality, Abdool Karim has been a vocal advocate for vaccines, including during the pandemic, when he chaired the ministerial advisory committee which guided the In a ' institutionalised disinformation' , where the very institutions once trusted to uphold science are now the ones spreading doubt. He draws a straight line between former president Thabo Mbeki's Aids denialism which led to the 'Where the state now becomes the source of the disinformation, you lose your bearings as to where to get the truth,' Abdool Karim said. 'That's why the right information about vaccines is as important as the vaccines themselves'. MMR, autism and RFK In the US, measles vaccination rates have been slipping steadily for years, largely because of the He has claimed countless times that the This week, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention 'The chaos that is going on in the US … has a knock-on effect all across the world. It's critical for us to be proactive, rather than wait until the damage is done,' says Edina Amponsah-Dacosta, a virologist with the For Amponsah-Dacosta, the current Because measles is When people think about measles, they often just consider the rash, she says. But measles affects many organs and the effect of the disease on the body can linger. 'It actually causes disease through all your systems, and so it can affect the brain. Some of the consequences can be delayed even many, many years, so that if you have measles now, you may develop problems much later.' HPV wiped out cervical cancer Just like some diseases take years to show problems, it can take years to see a vaccine's benefits. An infection with certain forms of the Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in South Africa too. In those not vaccinated, RFK Jr has also featured the HPV vaccine in his misinformation parade, Australia, While South Africa's Vaccine economics Despite the cost of vaccines, they save money for governments because there's so much less illness and disability. A large 'There are not that many things that are as amazing as vaccines for child health — a miracle intervention', says Susan Cleary, the director of the school of public health at the University of Cape Town. Her research group recently published a But the knock-on effects of vaccination also help in the long term. By preventing diseases, vaccinations help to ensure people won't become ill in the first place. 'It's not just about saving lives, it's also about safeguarding livelihoods,' says Amponsah-Dacosta. 'They can go on to study just as well as anybody else in school … and their parents can contribute to the economy instead of spending money looking for treatments.' Immunising against misinformation Despite overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe and effective, Even more confusing for the public, says Larson, is that that fringe has now gone mainstream in the US. For example, in June, RFK Jr also 'Vaccines have become kind of a victim of their own success,' says Amponsah-Dacosta. Because of vaccines diseases like smallpox have been eradicated while deaths and disabilities from polio, tetanus, rubella have disappeared from view, lulling people into thinking vaccines aren't needed. 'Eventually, people get to hear misinformation, so the best practice is to provide people with sound information. This way, once they're faced with myths … they are already immunised against misinformation and can make the right decision.' This story was produced by the . Sign up for the .
Mail & Guardian
5 hours ago
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
If a cigarette box isn't disgusting, it's not doing its job
A throat ulcer. Bloody urine. A sick baby. That's what smokers in other countries see. In South Africa? For now, it's a tiny black box. Photo: Canva In Bangladesh, cigarette packs show a photograph of an ulcer on a throat or someone on a ventilator. Mexico's show bloody urine in a toilet or a woman with breast cancer. In South Africa, a small black box reads: 'Warning: Smoking kills'. When warning signs are big, graphic and swopped out regularly, they stop people from smoking, according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) latest Yet, despite the WHO finding South Africa — along with Lesotho — has the highest proportion of adults who smoke daily in Africa, Local cigarette packs have eight different warning texts such as 'Danger: Smoking causes cancer' and 'Warning: Don't smoke around children', but none show images. There are also 'We don't have graphic warnings [which is a problem because] many people can't read the text that's only in English, and we don't enforce laws around advertisement, particularly for e-cigarettes.' That will change if parliament passes the 'Weak' text only warnings The WHO recommends cigarette pack warnings as Picture warnings showing the harms of smoking, like blackened lungs or children in hospital beds, are According to the WHO report, about 110 countries use cigarette graphic warnings, but 40 — including South Africa — still have 'weak' text-only labels or none at all. Canada was the 'The colour of the pack makes a difference' Under South Africa's proposed anti-smoking legislation, all cigarette packs sold in the country will carry plain packaging and graphic warnings. Tobacco products will be wrapped in a uniform plain colour chosen by the health minister and must have warnings that cover at least 65% of the front and back. Cigarette packs must show messages about the harms of smoking or benefits of quitting, information on what the product contains and emits, and include pictures or graphics that show the health risks. 'Our Local 'The colour of the pack makes a difference,' says Ayo-Yusuf. 'South Africans look at their pack in making a brand choice, and that choice is linked to what we call the expected sensory experience [how satisfying smoking is], which leads to smoking more cigarettes a day,' The rules on packaging and warnings won't stop at cigarettes. They will also apply to nicotine products like e-cigarettes (or vapes) — devices that heat a liquid containing flavourings such as gummy bear or cherry peach lemon in colourful packaging Plain packaging makes e-cigarettes less appealing to young people. In a 2023 Nevertheless, plain packaging has become one of the main targets of the tobacco industry's pushback against the Bill. Big Tobacco strikes back The Tobacco Bill has been in the making since Because South Africa's rules on advertising tobacco are strict, Big Tobacco relies on packaging as a When cigarettes are produced illegally with fake trademarks or sold to customers before taxes are paid on the goods, it is seen as illicit trade. While companies have long 'Currently, they're already producing these cigarettes and The industry also For example, current rules list eight warning texts that must alternate on cigarette packs, while smokeless tobacco products only carry one about oral cancer. 'They are jumping ahead by claiming you can't regulate vapes the same way as cigarettes. The regulation could say that cigarette packs must have a graphic of a sick baby, while vapes show an image of someone chained to addiction.' In a parliamentary hearing last month, Once the hearings end, it will be up to the National Assembly to pass, amend or reject the Bill before it finally goes to the National Council of Provinces and then the president to be signed into law. And if it is signed, not only cigarette packs — but the tobacco industry in South Africa — could look very different. This story was produced by the . Sign up for the .
Mail & Guardian
7 hours ago
- Science
- Mail & Guardian
People back climate policy when weather events feel personal, new study finds
The effects of extreme weather events are disproportionately felt in countries in the Global South. Most people are more likely to support A few extreme weather events also seem to influence support for climate policies in different ways, according to the team of authors, which included Marina Joubert, an associate professor at the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology at Stellenbosch University. The Nature Climate Change , found that although extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense because of climate change, little is known about how experiencing these events — and attributing them to climate change — affects support for climate policies, particularly in the Global South. The effects of extreme weather events are disproportionately felt in countries in the Global South. 'Even though the The study shows that when people connect extreme weather such as heatwaves, floods and droughts to climate change, they're much more likely to support climate action, Joubert said. 'This matters for countries like South Africa where climate impacts are already being felt. One surprising finding from our study is that people in Africa, especially in South Africa, are less likely to say that climate change is behind extreme weather events,' she said. 'That's not because the weather is not changing, but because climate change awareness is still low.' To build support for climate solutions, there is an urgent need for better public communication that explains to people what is happening and why, Joubert said. The researchers assessed support for the following five climate policies: increasing taxes on carbon-intense foods, raising taxes on fossil fuels, expanding infrastructure for public transportation, increasing the use of sustainable energy, and protecting forested and land areas. They used combined large-scale natural and social science data from 68 countries to develop a measure of how many people were exposed to extreme weather events — and to explore whether this exposure, along with people's beliefs about whether climate change has affected extreme weather events over the last decades, predict their support for climate policies. They also comparatively assessed the link between the size of exposed populations, defined as the average annual proportion of a country's total population exposed to a specific weather-related hazard, to several extreme weather events and support for climate policies. They found that in line with previous research, increasing carbon taxes received the lowest support, with only 22% and 29% of people, respectively, indicating they very much supported increased taxes on carbon-intensive foods and fossil fuels. Protecting forested and land areas, by contrast, was a popular policy option, with 82% supporting it very much and only 3% not supporting it at all. The second-most supported policy was increasing the use of sustainable energy, with 75% supporting it very much, and only 5% not supporting it at all. The research showed that not all climate policies are equally popular, revealing that people around the world, including in Africa, are far more supportive of clean energy and forest protection than carbon taxes. 'That's an important message for governments. If you want public buy-in, you have to focus on solutions that people understand and support,' Joubert said. The study provides global evidence that subjective attribution of extreme weather events to climate change is associated with greater policy support for climate mitigation, the researchers said. 'Overall, different extreme weather events appear to have different relationships with climate policy support. This pattern highlights the importance of comparative analyses that consider different types of events,' the study said. 'In line with previous studies we also found that subjective attribution interacts with exposure to European winter storms, heatwaves, heavy precipitation and tropical cyclones to predict climate policy support.' Mere exposure to extreme weather events might therefore not suffice to increase policy support unless individuals link these events to climate change. While larger exposure to extreme events was not found to be related to policy support, except for wildfires, the researchers could not rule out that changes in the frequency of extreme weather events over time might be sufficient to shift support. 'Nevertheless, our data suggest that if individuals attribute extreme weather events to climate change, support for climate policies is higher regardless of whether the events are more frequent.' The reverse causal relationship is also possible: people who are supportive of climate policies are more likely to attribute extreme weather to climate change, the study said, noting that longitudinal panel studies are needed to investigate the nature and direction of this relationship. The research also found strong differences in support across countries and policies. Support for climate policies was particularly high in African and Asian countries, average in Australia, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, and below the global average in several European countries, such as Czechia, Finland and Norway. 'Participants who identified as men, were younger, more religious, had higher education, higher income, left-leaning politics and who lived in urban areas were more likely to support climate policies,' the report said. For some events, such as heatwaves and tropical cyclones, the effects of exposure on climate policy support were stronger for individuals who attribute extreme weather events to climate change more strongly. 'One possible explanation is that these types of extreme weather events allow for management strategies that can directly reduce the hazard itself, such as man-made flood protections, irrigation systems, prescribed burn-offs and land-use policies. 'Therefore, people may be more likely to support policies pertaining to law enforcement or economic regulations instead of climate change mitigation.' The researchers however pointed out that exposure to most types of extreme events did not predict people's support for climate policies. The extent to which people attributed extreme weather events to climate change varied across regions of the world. People in South America most strongly agreed that the occurrence of extreme weather events has been affected by climate change over the last decades, especially in Brazil and Colombia. This might be explained by the fact that belief in human-caused climate change and self-reported personal experience of extreme weather events are high in Latin America. People in Northern Europe and Africa, on the other hand, were less likely to attribute extreme weather events to climate change. In Africa, this could be explained by low levels of climate change awareness and belief in human-caused climate change across the continent. The researchers called for more studies about effective climate change communication on types of extreme weather events that are not typically associated with climate.
