Knobel G J
S Afr Med J. 1986 Jul 19;70(2):83-8.
The unrest situation in South Africa since September 1984 has led to the escalation of violence and numerous incidents of confrontation between security forces and unruly crowds. The failure of routine law enforcement methods to alleviate the situation resulted in declaration of a State of Emergency in various parts of the country on 21 July 1985 and in the Western Cape area on 26 October 1985. The possible effect of civil unrest on the incidence and nature of underlying violence and crime in society leading to non-natural deaths is analysed from data for a 10-year period obtained from the official Death Register of the South African Police mortuary draining the Greater Cape Town area. Yearly and monthly trends in the incidence of non-natural deaths are also compared with those for death from natural causes. Attention is given to the incidence of homicidal sharp and blunt injuries and specifically to fatal gunshot injuries resulting from civilian shootings compared with those resulting from police or security force action. Mortality and general unrest figures associated with the situation in the Greater Cape Town area are finally compared with national figures for 1985 and the first months of 1986. Some effects of lifting of the State of Emergency in the whole country on 7 March 1986 on mortality and unrest figures are presented. In conclusions, some recommendations are made for alterations to riot control methods in an attempt to prevent or reduce fatalities.
自1984年9月以来，南非的动荡局势导致暴力升级，安全部队与不守规矩的人群之间发生了多起冲突事件。常规执法手段未能缓解局势，导致1985年7月21日该国各地以及1985年10月26日西开普地区宣布进入紧急状态。根据从负责开普敦大都市区的南非警察停尸房官方死亡登记处获得的10年数据，分析了内乱对社会中潜在暴力和犯罪发生率及性质的可能影响，而这些暴力和犯罪会导致非自然死亡。还将非自然死亡发生率的年度和月度趋势与自然原因死亡的趋势进行了比较。关注凶杀锐器伤和钝器伤的发生率，特别是与警察或安全部队行动导致的致命枪伤相比，平民枪击导致的致命枪伤。最后将与开普敦大都市区局势相关的死亡率和总体动荡数据与1985年及1986年头几个月的全国数据进行了比较。介绍了1986年3月7日全国解除紧急状态对死亡率和动荡数据的一些影响。最后，针对改变防暴方法提出了一些建议，以试图预防或减少死亡人数。
