Richard Maphokwane is a thin, muscular man. He has a tight, twisty beard and has an incredible sense of calm. When you speak to him he will drift with ease between sincere pathos (on ways one can turn anger into happiness) to describing a bloody prison self-mutilation with a razor blade.
“It’s an issue of poverty, we receive our grant money but it’s too small. It gets used up on paying pack loans and taking kids to school and we take out more loans. I started borrowing R800 but the second time I went, they offered R1000 and I took it because I was broke at the time. They then deducted over R400 from me.I really didn’t expect them to deduct so much.” – Ntate Senyane
Papi Tobbiaf has disappeared. His family and friends are destroyed with grief. And Papi’s daughter, Kekeletso Nthako is passionate that her father’s disappearance is linked to a sprawling court case that has been upsetting the Vaal for years. She believes he’s been kidnapped or perhaps even killed!
What can the police do to you at a roadblock? Are they allowed to stop you? Fine you? Check if you’re drunk? And at what point are they allowed to arrest you?
What can a cop do to you when you’re arrested? Can he question you? Shout at you? Hang you out of a window? Torture you? Is he allowed to lie to you? Is he allowed to slap you? Kick you? Beat you up?
About 244 people died in police custody in South Africa in a 2014-15 report revealed by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).
The Orange Farm community houses a vibrant and energetic community radio station, Thetha FM (100.6). Their blood red signage is known throughout the community, and the station is situated in Orange Farm Mall where shoppers can look at who is on air – speaking into their mics and pushing faders – while they ride up the escalator. The offices are plush and built right above the mall’s food court.