Viewfinder is a new accountability journalism project, incubated in GroundUp but intending to become its own independent publication in time. Viewfinder does long term investigations into abuses of power which impact on the public interest – specifically as it relates to the need for equality and redress – in post-apartheid South African society.
Viewfinder's first exposé, launched in October 2019, shows how IPID, the police watchdog, has failed to properly investigate serious complaints against the police, including rape and assault. Yet IPID has manipulated statistics to give the impression that has investigated these allegations.
Check out the Viewfinder website.
SAPS is failing to act against brutal cops
Daneel Knoetze for Viewfinder
Feature | 1 December 2021
Upington death in custody raises questions
Feature | 9 November 2021
Viewfinder analyses 47,000 cases of police brutality, and the results are horrifying
News | 20 October 2021
The agreement would make policy what is already happening in practice
News | 1 September 2021
Report says ratio of civilians killed by police to police killed on duty in South Africa, about 13 to one, is a cause for concern
Analysis | 26 August 2021
Police officer found not guilty of the killing of 15-year-old Damian Ahrendse
Feature | 17 August 2021
More than a year after his death, and months after the police watchdog implicated eight officers in murder, police management has not acted.
Video | 7 July 2021
Official statistics show no Gauteng officers have been disciplined for violent offences since 2016
Feature | 5 July 2021
Video | 2 June 2021
Sitole told Parliament that an “independent” discipline unit needs to be established
News | 1 June 2021
But Parliament has failed to enforce its recommendations in the past
News | 25 May 2021
Police minister brushes off Viewfinder’s devastating findings on police brutality
Opinion | 18 May 2021
Every year, police in South Africa kill hundreds of people and are accused of brutalising thousands more.
News | 11 May 2021
The cases we know about are likely far outnumbered by those we don’t
Analysis | 13 April 2021