The launch of Policing in Africa – Towards an African Epistemology was held on the 8 March at STADIO in Krugersdorp. Our panel of speakers included Dr Divya Singh, Chief Academic Officer of STADIO, Ms Jeanette Smit, Head of School, Policing and Law Enforcement, STADIO, General Phillip Vuma, Head of the Police Research Unit, Prof Jacob Tseko Mofokeng, African Research Chair for the Campus and School Public Safety, TUT, and Prof Ian de Vries, HOD Safety and Security, TUT (Retired).
Policing in Africa is often portrayed as being practised by incompetent and corrupt apologists for governing regimes. Professional policing, on the other hand, is the opposite of populist, incompetent, corrupt and regime-partisan policing. A professional police agency is dependent on solid competence acquired through learning interventions aimed at the type of police service delivery that will suit a democratic society and adherence to human rights principles. Policing in Africa: Towards an African Epistemology aims to provide some knowledge towards the achievement of exactly that type of police service delivery. The authors present a dialectic of African preference and northern epistemology and aim for synthesis between the two.
In his keynote address, General Phillip Vuma, Head of the Police Research Unit, expressed that professionalising any police service is dependent on a solid competence acquired through learning interventions aimed at the type of police service delivery that will suit a democratic society and adherence to human rights principles.
“The chapters of the new book will close the void that existed in the SAPS literature, namely; from Chapter 1 – Historical perspectives on policing in Africa to Chapter 18 – Police education and training. From my own observation, the academic world in policing, and police-related research are struggling with literature. This book emphasises the strengthening of policing epistemology through research and people development. The development part of the book will indeed help to police practice in the police mandate, namely; the prevention of crime as per the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. ” – General Phillip Vuma
The book is designed for studying and reflection and includes chapters on historical perspectives on policing in Africa, civilian oversight and police accountability in Africa, ethics in policing, social disorganisation and crime, trafficking of women and children in Africa and others. Critical thinking activities and case studies, included in the book support reflection. The book will be of value to students, facilitators of learning, policymakers, oversight agencies, civil society organisations, libraries and communities in the broadest definition possible.
Find out more or purchase a copy of the book here.
