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Power, politics and the police: lessons from Marikana

Dixon, Bill

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Abstract

This article examines the relationship between politicians and the police in the days before the shooting by members of the South African Police Service of 34 striking mineworkers at the Marikana platinum mine in South Africa on 16 August 2012. Drawing on evidence presented to the official inquiry into events at Marikana, it argues that political influence over the police may be exercised most effectively when it is least obvious. Instead of issuing directives, or openly exerting pressure on the police, it is suggested that politicians may secure compliance with their wishes when chief officers share their priorities, and act accordingly. The senior officers in command at Marikana did not need to be told what to do. In ordering an intervention that led to 34 deaths they were behaving as conscious political actors attuned to the needs of a dominant elite aligned to the ruling African National Congress.

Citation

Dixon, B. (2019). Power, politics and the police: lessons from Marikana. Journal of Modern African Studies, 57(2), 203-221. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X19000053

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Nov 16, 2018
Online Publication Date Jul 24, 2019
Publication Date 2019-06
Deposit Date Dec 20, 2018
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal The Journal of Modern African Studies
Print ISSN 0022-278X
Electronic ISSN 1469-7777
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 57
Issue 2
Pages 203-221
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X19000053
Keywords Geography, Planning and Development; Sociology and Political Science
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1432290
Publisher URL https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-modern-african-studies/article/power-politics-and-the-police-lessons-from-marikana/6E97EAAACB929F94E3924529B0686D44
Additional Information License: Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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