eMbalenhle police commander says crime is out of control
Colonel Khuselwa Matrose admits crime is spiraling out of control in eMbalenhle as frustrated residents demand answers and justice during a tense community meeting.
The eMbalenhle SAPS commander, Colonel Khuselwa Matrose, admitted that crime in eMbalenhle is out of control.
Matrose made this statement during a meeting with community members and crime victims held at the eMbalenhle Police Station on February 12.
Concerned residents organised the meeting due to the increasing number of unresolved cases and sought clarity on what was causing the lack of progress. Community leader Tonny Mabizela expressed frustration, stating that the police were failing in their fight against crime.
“Witnesses and victims of crime are not protected. We need cooperation between the community and the police.”
Mabizela referred to a case in which an elderly man was nearly killed by the police when they allegedly tried to run him over with a state vehicle after he witnessed them accepting money from a foreign national’s tuck shop.
“How can we trust the police when they act like this? Does this mean we have to keep quiet even when we see wrongdoing because they are our law enforcers?
“Many of our police officers cannot be trusted. When we report a crime, some officers go directly to the suspects and inform them who reported them. The suspects then threaten the whistleblower. This puts lives in danger because some police officers work with criminals,” said Mabizela.
Doctor Mthombeni, the father of 20-year-old Siyabonga Mthombeni, who was murdered in December 2023, told Matrose that his family had lost hope in the police since his son’s murderer had not been arrested. Mthombeni said nearly two years had passed since the murder, yet the suspect was still free.
“We want justice for my son. I want to know why he was murdered. We thought we would have justice by now, but nothing has happened because the suspect is still on the run, and the police have failed to arrest him,” said Mthombeni.
Other community members raised concerns about how cases are handled. They claimed that when they report a crime, instead of police pursuing the suspects, officers tell them to locate the suspects themselves and call the police when they find them.
Johannah Shabangu (67), who was attacked in her home in eMbalenhle by a balaclava-wearing intruder with a panga in October last year, said she was unhappy with how police had handled her case.
She still lives in fear, as her attacker attempted to break into her house again in December but was scared off by passersby, leaving his shoe behind.
“If it weren’t for Ridge Times, no police officer would have come to my home. Even if you asked them now where I live, they wouldn’t know.
“The last time an investigating officer visited me was after my story was published. Both my hands are not functioning properly. My daughter and I have received information about who attacked me, and he is planning to do it again.
“But who do I tell? The investigating officer came only once after I was discharged from the hospital and never returned,” said Shabangu.
Shabangu and her 14-year-old grandson were asleep when the intruder broke into their home. She awoke to the sound of things falling and, upon investigating, saw a man armed with a panga. When the attacker realised she had seen him, he came to her.
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She tried to block the blows with her hands. Matrose urged community members to follow up on their cases by visiting the police station and speaking with management.
“It is not good to suffer in silence because you didn’t receive help from the police. You must come to us, as senior officers, so we can take urgent action.
“Though it may sound bad when police tell you to look for suspects, the reality is that we rely on community information. Crimes happen in the community, and police are not always present,” explained Matrose.
“Some cases are closed because the suspects are unknown, but when new leads arise, we reopen them. We cannot keep cases open indefinitely without evidence.
“You say my officers are untrustworthy, but they are the only tools I have to fight crime. There are no other police waiting somewhere to replace them. Not all officers are corrupt, and these accusations can demoralize committed members.
“Let’s work together to fight the crime that has spiralled out of control in eMbalenhle,” said Matrose.
