Diepsloot residents vow to continue anti-crime protests overnight
Diepsloot residents say they will continue to protest overnight to make sure their plight is heard for better policing in the area.
Police fired rubber bullets and used stun grenades to disperse a crowd that was blocking the N14 highway on Wednesday.
Community leader Lefa Nkala said the community was not impressed by an earlier visit from Police Minister Bheki Cele when he announced several interim measures.
“The community members, especially from Extensions 1 and 2, they felt that these people left them in the same situation that they were complaining about. So, they decided to close the N14 and we are still protesting.”
Residents have been protesting over issues including corruption, under-resourced and outnumbered police officers and the lax enforcement of immigration laws that they alleged had led to high levels of crime in the area.
INTERIM MEASURES
Cele said at least 30 members of the police’s tactical response team would remain in Diepsloot while 16 police vehicles would be positioned at the local police station over the next 24 hours.
He promised to return to the area on Friday to discuss more long-term solutions but has made several interventions in the meantime.
“Tonight [Wednesday] as we said, the national commissioner is here. He is bringing extra special units of TRT, we are bringing POP to be here, also vehicles from the metro. We are bringing a special detectives team to come and deal with outstanding and cold cases. We are bringing 16 more cars in the next 24 hours.”
During his visit, he was taken to the site where seven people were allegedly murdered at the weekend.
Operation Dudula’s Nhlanhla “Lux” Mohlauli later arrived in the area and was led by a different group to an area alleged to be where some undocumented migrants were allegedly living.
TOO SCARED TO ENTER
Ward 113 Councillor Abraham Mabuke said the area had been shut down by protestors over a spate of killings, including the recent attack on a family where a child was left orphaned and fighting for her life.
“As we speak, the child is in critical condition,” he told the publication.
Mabuke said killings had become a common occurrence in the area that eve police were afraid to patrol.
“There are almost six squatter camps where police are afraid to enter at night. We need Bheki Cele and the other ministers to sit down. We need electricity here in Extension 1 in all the streets so that when crime happens people and the police can enter.”
On Wednesday morning, Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko arrived but community members refused to speak with her.
Protestors told the publication that Cele had better not make any more empty promises.
Residents have been protesting at the gates of the local police station for a second day where they want more resources deployed. They said police simply couldn’t cope with high crime levels in the area.
A heavy police presence has been maintained where protesters have been singing slogans and holding placards lamenting the failure of government to provide basic services and manage undocumented nationals in the area.”
-EWN
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