There was a very good report on future policing produced by experts from the UN in the mid 1990s, which was endorsed by President Mandela.  
Key findings, apart from getting rid of military titles, was a change in philosophy towards being more of a police service rather than a police force.
But even more fundamental was reversing geography.
Under the Nats nearly all new police stations were in white areas.   Just shutting down some of them and putting them in black areas would have made a huge difference, if it had happened.
But no, once Mandela went, the government thought having a para-military force was what was needed, blue light convoys multiplied and police men and women refused to move to proposed stations in black areas.
And now the military police forces (they have multiplied)  have also become the biggest spies and informers in the political sphere, while ignoring judges.
Soon they will rule.