“It must be pointed out that the police are present and fully operational in Diepsloot, but accommodated in temporary structures,” the Department of Public Works said in a statement.
This comes after the bodies of two cousins aged two and three were found in a public toilet in the area.
In the wake of the incident, members of the community raised concerns at the lack of progress in the construction of a police station to service the area.
According to the department, there had been delays due to problems experienced by the original contractor and the subsequent cancellation of the contract.
While construction started in March 2008, in June 2010 the contractor experienced serious cash flow problems with workers not being paid and materials not being paid for.
A new tender process was undertaken and in February this year a new contractor was appointed and the site was handed over a month later.
16 October, 11.59am
Four suspects questioned for murder of cousins
Police have started a manhunt to find an alleged serial killer or killers who murdered a five-year-old girl in September, and killed and possibly raped two girls who were cousins, at the weekend.
The bodies of the cousins were found in a community toilet on 15 October, while the killer dumped his first victim on a trash heap.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini investigations into the kidnapping and murder of the cousins has resulted in four suspects being taken in for questioning on 16 October.
The killers’ latest victims were allegedly kidnapped on the afternoon of 12 October. Police have also asked members of the community to assist in the investigation.
“At this stage police are also investigating a possible link between the murders of the young girls in the area,” he said.
“It is suspected that the first victim was sexually violated and strangled in September. The latest victims were suspected to have been strangled.”
He said police were waiting for postmortem results.
Meanwhile, Diepsloot residents were fearing for their children’s lives. Looklocal spoke with an Extension one resident who did not want to be named. She said, “We don’t know where to put our kids.” She said in August while she was at church, her daughter was raped in her house.
She said she had evidence to prove her daughter was raped, but nothing ever came of it.
Another woman who requested anonymity, said the community had an idea who the guilty party was, but due to the close-knit structure of the community, they weren’t able to come forward with the information for fear of being shunned.
The National Commissioner of Police, General Riah Phiyega, condemned the killer or killers.
“Child Protection and Sexual Violence Unit in Gauteng will leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of what happened to the two. I and the entire South African police management send our most deepest and heartfelt condolences to the families who have been affected by this tragedy,” she said.
