Stalls set alight and shops closed along Ingonyama Street by the angry residents in Diepsloot. Picture: The Citizen/Nigel Sibanda
Diepsloot residents demanded to speak with President Cyril Ramaphosa, saying they will intensify protest action until he visits the area.
In response to the lack of police visibility, protesters surrounded the local police station earlier this week in an attempt to hold officers accountable.
The residents say they have “been forgotten” by local police, and they now want Ramaphosa to experience crime “first hand”.
On 20 June, the residents delivered a memorandum to the Diepsloot police station, with deputy chairperson of the Diepsloot community forum Lefa Nkala saying:
“Our people are getting killed. These criminals will take your money, take your cellphone and kill you”.
Nkala said the community isn’t dealing “with normal criminals”. Instead, they’re at the mercy of “people who are in war against the community”.
Speaking on eNCA on Thursday morning, public safety expert Jacob Mofokeng said the community’s concerns are legitimate as local police stations are ill-equipped to deal with crime.
Mofokeng said robberies have increased and police stations have been under-resourced for years.
“The communities of Diepsloot have come to a point where they feel that they need to see the president, which should never happen,” he said.
READ: ‘People feel a little safe now’: Visible policing helps to end Diepsloot killings
In addition to the escalating levels of crime, the residents in Diepkloof Hostel face a severe lack of service delivery.
On Wednesday, Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda addressed the hostel residents in Soweto to discuss his “first phase of focus”.
He said the water and electricity issues will be addressed on Monday, vowing that his office will “focus on the most important aspects of [the community’s] daily lived experiences”.
READ: Phophi acknowledges unfit living conditions at Diepkloof Hostel