Since the beginning of the year 2016 the the Rasta community in various areas in the Western Cape had been visited by the men in blue to be harassed and have their rights violated. In all the separate incidents, arrests have been made for no apparent reason other than possession of the herb. The SAPS is cracking down on Rastas, in their communities in search of Ganja under guise of cracking down on crime, but what crime has the Rastas living peacefully in their cummunity done?
The most recent and much publicised incident took place in Philippi at the Marcus Garvey Community on Thursday 14, January at the crack of dawn. Five men and a woman were arrested on charges of illegal cultivation. They appeared at the Athlone Magistrate Court on Friday 15, where three brothers and the sista were released on bail and the other two remain in custody.
While the SAPS made a big deal about the arrest and the estimated street value of R1.7m of the confiscated dagga plants, the comments on their Facebook page illustrated that people, and not just Rastas, are against this criminalisation of the herb. Most commenters lambasted the SAPS for not arresting the real menaces to society like rapists, killers, Nyaope delears but rather going for the soft target, the peaceful Rasta and the natural herb.
Photos: SAPS
In another separate incident, the community of Westbank in Elsies river found themselves having to protests at the Woodstock police station on Thursday, 14 January after the brutal harassment of one Ras Joseph and the by stander who was capturing the incident on video.
“We are violated and brutalised by the police. They are using the Rastafarian community as a soft target despite the fact that we do not pose a criminal threat to South African citizens, the government or the police.” Deputy convener of the protest Grant Marais
The report: Rastafarians protest against police brutality details the events at the demonstration and events leading to the protest. Read the full report here.
Another incident occurred in Kuilsriver where the police raided Rasta’s house and also used live ammunition endangering the lives of onlookers. The incident was captured on video and posted on Facebook.
SAPS kuilsriver using live ammunition during a raid at a Rastafarian’s house in Kuilsriver.
Posted by Rasta Nation March – CapeTown, South Africa on Monday, 11 January 2016
Another Facebook video post shows the Cape Town Metro police demolishing homes belonging to Rastas. You can hear the voice in the background appealing to the police:
Ahoy, there is people living here Father!
According to Rasta Nation March the event took place after the Marcus Garvey raid.
Cape Town Metro Police busy demolishing homes which belong to Rastafarians. This incident took place yesterday afternoon at Marcus Garvey. This was a provocative act by the metro police which followed the morning raid conducted by SAPS under Operation Fiela in which ganja trees were uprooted and the possessions of Rastafarians were looted by SAPS. This is the real reason why the people burned tyres on the train tracks ! – Rasta Nation March, Cape Town
Cape Town Metro Police busy demolishing homes which belong to Rastafarians. This incident took place yesterday afternoon at Marcus Garvey. This was a provocative act by the metro police which followed the morning raid conducted by SAPS under Operation Fiela in which ganja trees were uprooted and the possessions of Rastafarians were looted by SAPS. This is the real reason why the people burned tyres on the train tracks !
Posted by Rasta Nation March – CapeTown, South Africa on Friday, 15 January 2016
Posted by Rasta Nation March – CapeTown, South Africa on Friday, 15 January 2016
Rasta Nation March – Cape Town has organised a demonstration march to Parliament against Police brutalisation and victimisation. The protest march is scheduled for 02 March 2016 Adwa Day, in Cape Town. This is a national call to Rastafarians to stand collectively and say no to Police brutality against Rastafarians. Check the events details here.