Cele ‘pained’ by horror stories from Olievenhoutbosch community

Police minister Bheki Cele and Gauteng safety MEC Faith Mazibuko visited the community of Olievenhoutbosch on 31 May.

They listened as community members raised their concerns and complaints about the level of crime in the area.

Community members were allowed to ask questions and tell their stories about alleged corruption at the Olievenhoutbosch police station.

Residents took to the podium to complain about the high crime rate in their community, pointing cases that were left unsolved and the lack of urgency and effort from the police officers at the station.

Most complaints were about gender-based violence, house break-ins, murder and theft.

One of the residents complained about police officers using police vehicles for “leisure purposes”, leading to a shortage of vehicles when officers needed to react to crime scenes.

Residents demanded that Cele either deploy the current staff to a different area or shut the station.

Cele said the station had more than 1 800 unsolved cases and that this meant all those perpetrators were roaming freely, thus the crime rate would not go down.

He also said that out of 143 stations in Gauteng, Olievenhoutbosch was listed 47 as one the most corrupt stations.

He said that the Olievenhoutbosch police officers were disappointing, hence community members had no faith or trust in them.

“It pains me to hear you say there is not a single police officer you can trust because they are corrupt,” said Cele.

He said alcohol affected the crime rate and that police should be stricter in making sure shebeens and taverns were licensed and did not sell to minors or sell drugs.

Residents also complained about the “huge number” of alleged undocumented foreigners living among them.

To this, Cele responded that it was not a xenophobic act to seek out undocumented individuals.

“If they commit crimes, the police cannot find or trace them.”

Cele was alarmed by the numerous complaints by women who have been abused or raped and still had to live with their abusers every day.

He ordered the station to open a task force to focus on the main issues in the community such as gender-based violence. He also insisted that they should establish a CPF which the community claimed the police were against because they would insist on change.

“The crime profile of this place is bad but what you have said about the police today is worse.

“More ministers should be involved here so they can know about issues in their departments as well.”

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