Residents protest about ongoing murder and rape incidents
“The residents are just fed up with the performance of this police station.”
On Friday, February 3 members of the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) together with residents marched to hand over a memorandum of demands at the Roodepoort Police Station regarding safety and security.
Residents from Ward 127 were up in arms as they called on Police Minister, Bheki Cele to come and address them as they showed dismay over the ongoing murders and rape incidents in the area.
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Some residents allege the police are doing nothing to address the crimes and it has now become an everyday occurrence for someone to be killed in the areas which include Matholesville, Jerusalem, Sol Plaatje Durban Deep, and surroundings.
Johannesburg District Commissioner Major General Max Masha addressed the crowd gathered in front of the Roodepoort Police Station and assured them that their concerns would be prioritised.
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One resident said that in the last three weeks in ward 127, more than seven people were brutally murdered at their homes while they were with their families and some in the presence of the children.
A member of Sanco, Sizwe Stafans said the residents have reasons to believe that some of the Roodepoort police members are part of the crime syndicate terrorising the area and can even point out some of the police vehicles that are used.
“The residents are just fed up with the performance of this police station,” said Stafans.
Ward 127 Councillor Keke Tabane said in the past weeks, he has met with the families of the people who were murdered, and in one incident the killers stayed at a home for three hours before killing the father.
Tabane said in Jerusalem, a father, mother, child, and the child’s friend were killed as well as two people from Matholesville.
According to Tabane, he has tried to engage with Roodepoort Police Station Brigadier so that the police can intervene.
“There is too much lawlessness and crime in our area so as the community we have decided that enough is enough. Recently after the discovery of female bodies in the area, we even suspect there is a serial killer on the loose,” said Tabane.
Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) Spokesperson confirmed that officers were deployed to monitor the march and regulate traffic.
At the time of publishing, no further information was received from the Roodepoort Police Station and a response will be published when available.
