Black Skins Rubber Bullets: Policing of Student Protests in South Africa

This research article examines police brutality against Black communities in South Africa, specifically focusing on the #FeesMustFall movement of 2015–2016 which advocated for free and decolonized education. The South African police force historically enforced colonial and Apartheid policies, which oppressed Black communities and maintained racial hierarchies. Despite the country's transition to democracy, the South African Police Services continue to target Black individuals as perceived threats. This study utilizes the theoretical frameworks of racial profiling to examine how law enforcement disproportionately targeted Black students, particularly those who experienced severe attacks, arrests, harassment, and were shot at with rubber bullets. This theoretical lens reveals the systemic biases and prejudices embedded within police practices, contributing to the ongoing cycle of discrimination and violence against Black individuals. Using a virtual ethnographic approach, the study analyzes data from Twitter, YouTube, and qualitative interviews with victims of police brutality during the protests. The conclusion emphasizes the urgent need to decolonize inherited social systems, particularly the police force, to address the systemic roots of racial profiling and police brutality. It advocates for transformative changes that can ensure justice and equality for Black communities in South Africa.