Jacob Zuma’s choice to take over as national Commissioner of Police, Bheki Cele, has raised the ire of opposition leaders across the political and ideological spectrum who claim that Cele is unqualified and that his appointment represents the spoils of political access rather than the triumph of expertise. But Cele’s tough talk on crime has raised another debate, namely about how to fight crime while at the same time respecting human and constitutional rights. In the words of one observer, “It is important to clarify whether this is a war in which we take people prisoner once they have surrendered, or whether it is a war in which we kill without mercy.” Crime is a serious problem in South Africa. But for the sake of the future of the country and its respect for fundamental rights, the answer to that dilemma has to lie in the former solution, and not the latter.
