WATCH: Residents demand more effective police operations
Kempton Park community ends their march peacefully at Kempton Park Police Station.
Enough is enough, no more crime, was the order of the day and the reason behind the peaceful march on Saturday by the Kempton Park community.Residents filled the streets as they embarked on a march against crime in the area. Marchers gathered at Avion Park on Highveld Road and made their way to Kempton Park Police Station.
Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Democratic Alliance (DA) were also seen among the marchers.
Metro police and police escorted the marchers, who handed over their memorandum to Brig Samuel Maredi, station commander at Kempton Park SAPS.
Maredi told Express after receiving the memorandum: “I am happy to see that the community’s participation is ensuring that Glen Marais and surrounding areas are safer. We will also look into ways to increase visibility in the area.
“We accept the memorandum and will go back to the community and give them our feedback regarding the concerns raised as indicated in the memorandum.”
Ward councillor Jaco Terblanche was also among those in the frontline of the march.
“We have had enough with the crime in Glen Marais. We can’t live in a situation where your children are not safe in their own home. You can’t go to the shops and leave your 17-year-old child (who is supposed to be big enough to look after themselves) at home, even your domestic worker is not safe at home. We need to make a stance and we say enough is enough,” said Terblanche.
More pictures of the march
“Thank you to every community member who came to the march. I want to give them the reassurance that I will continuously fight until we have a zero crime rate in Kempton Park.”
The memorandum, read by Terblanche, stated:
“We, the residents of Glen Marais and Aston Manor in the Kempton Park area, call on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to ensure that we are safe again, through:
• increased visible policing, particularly in crime hot spots;
• more effective operations to reduce crime;
• improved crime intelligence to target crime areas (given the proximity to OR Tambo International Airport);
• the reintroduction of crime intelligence units to help curb and stop crime; and
• better public participation (working relationship with the community).
“We demand that the specialised units be re-instated.
“As residents, we no longer feel safe in Kempton Park. Today, we are taking a stand and saying it’s time for action. It is the responsibility of the police to ensure that we are safe in our neighbourhoods. It’s time the police reclaimed our neighbourhood from criminals.
“We want to see and feel drastic and decisive action against crime: more criminals behind bars and not on the streets.
“As police, wear your badges with honour. Keep our community safe, protect them from criminals.”
Both Maredi and Terblanche signed the memorandum and the marchers were escorted back, still in high spirit and singing while walking along the route.
