Living with non-state policing in South Africa: the issues and dilemmas

Abstract

Though policing is widely regarded as an inherently public good, in reality non-state policing is widespread in South Africa, doing everything that the public police force does. The paper examines the extent, nature and attitudes towards non-state policing in South Africa in its different forms, that is, autonomous citizen responses, ‘responsible’ citizen responses and commercial private security. The paper concludes by assessing the social and political implications of non-state policing.