The reality was that very few people actually saw what was happening in the townships, order needed to be maintained for some peace and balance. The units were undermanned for most part, it was a fact that many policeman dreaded being sent to a ISD unit. It was policing in a war zone, it was nothing like being a policeman in the general sense.
This was a truly/conveniently forgotten war, a war many don't want you to remember what really happened after the un-banning of the ANC. From 1991 the townships erupted in a political war, a war the ANC started to gain political domination in preparation to take total control of South Africa. The ANC unleashed a terror campaign against rival political parties (those that didn't join them), this was done through methods learned from the Communist countries. The ANC also had a very effective propaganda machine running, due to their alignment with nations who's media was very socialist/communist leaning. So-called Self-defense Units were trained by terrorist movements and 'sold off' as groups to defend against political enemies, most of the people killed by the ANC were black people who lived in the townships. I am sure many of the Western foreign countries realized that they had being supporting terrorists that didn't share power, but now they probably thought it best to try wipe away some inconvenient history.
The Internal Stability Division (ISD) of then South African Police (SAP) was tasked to maintain order in these 'black townships, the ISD units became the enemy of the ANC. For most part many people in these townships had very little ascces to ambulance or fire department service due to the ANC violence making these areas unsafe for emergency services.
"There seemed to be a concerted outbreak of violence against community members and leaders who wouldn’t toe the ANC line, including security police members and their families. Jeffery said that the idea was to collapse local government.
She explained how this new type of revolutionary war, the “people’s war”, was both political and military, creating “a hammer and anvil between which there was no differentiation of combatants versus civilians”. Everyone was expendable in the same way as arms and ammunition – including children.
In addition to the “people’s war” there was “a persistent propaganda campaign with a constant repetition of themes”. Untruths spread from seemingly diverse quarters became accepted as truths. The National Party government, IFP and the “Third Force” were blamed for all the violence. Society was in ferment with ANC street committees giving way to combat units aimed at bringing everyone under control through terror. The violence became an ongoing, unstoppable circle with police resorting to “draconian methods” in response to it.
In 1993 Mangosuthu Buthelezi drew attention to the 275 IFP leaders who had been killed since 1985 – he asked why this was of no consequence. He asked how the 1994 election could be free and fair in such a climate and withdrew from the election process in protest. He was demonized for his views and actions at the time.
Jeffery’s book lays out how the “people’s war” allowed the ANC to dominate the negotiating process, marginalizing people like Buthelezi, and seize a virtual monopoly on power in 1994."
http://jonathanball.bookslive.co.za/b...
https://www.warbooks.co.za/products/w
[Chorus]
Walk in silence
Don't walk away, in silence
[Verse 1]
See the danger
Always danger
Endless talking
Life rebuilding
Don't walk away
[Chorus]
Walk in silence
Don't turn away, in silence
[Verse 2]
Your confusion
My illusion
Worn like a mask of self-hate
Confronts and then dies
Don't walk away
[Verse 3]
People like you find it easy
Naked to see
Walking on air
Hunting by the rivers
Through the streets
Every corner abandoned too soon
Set down with due care
[Chorus]
Don't walk away, in silence
Don't walk away
