WATCH: Booysens police promise action against crime

ANC Bertha Gxowa branch and its alliance partners, as well as the community of Ward 124 participated in a peaceful march to Booysens Police Station on October 24.

They handed a memorandum of grievances to Booysens SAPS station commander Col Petrus Dlomo and head of Vispol Lt Col Richard Magwaza.

The march started at the ANC PCO office in Tramway Street. Some of the concerns put forward were crime in the area and the surroundings, gender-based violence (GBV) against women and children, human trafficking, house robberies and hijackings, illegal evictions and drugs in the area.

Ward 124 councillor Mongameli Mnyameni said this memorandum emanated from the people from the ward after the abuse from the criminals.

“There are break-ins in our area, women are being raped, men are hijacked and people are being murdered. People came to us with their grievances; they asked us what can be done to remedy the situation. As a first step we say we will do this peaceful march to Booysens Police Station. People want to be protected and feel safe.

“As we come here we saw some of the criminals tried to destabilise this march. With this memorandum we want results. We want a working relationship with the police because they cannot work alone; however, the police must not give our names to the criminals because people will be afraid to come out with the information,” he said.

ANCYL chairperson Amos Mangcipu, ANCWL member Priscilla Shiba and Ward 124 Sanco organiser Mfanelo Ncaphayi pledged their support and asked the police for tangible solutions to their grievances. In accepting the memorandum, Dlomo thanked the community for coming to the station.

“I like what the councillor said in terms of having a working relationship with the police. You live in the area and most of the things happen there. I believe if we get the information from the community, we can do our jobs better.

“Even those police who are colluding with the criminals, I will arrest them. That’s my responsibility to arrest them. My door is open, if you suspect any wrong doing come to me. When we work together we will win the battle. You will get feedback through your councillor,” explained Dlomo.

These are some of the grievances from the community of Ward 124:

• Visibility of corrupt-free police in the area.

• Random searching in the streets, especially at night.

• The cases of GBV reported in the station must be attended to with immediate effect and the victims must receive full support that they deserve.

• Investigate house evictions properly before they are done.

• Arrest all unlawful house hijackers, not only South Africans as you currently do.

• The selling and manufacturing of drugs in the community must be eradicated immediately.

• The daily hijacking in the community must come to an end.

• The high rate of human trafficking and prostitution must end.

• You must get rid of any police officers who are colluding with criminals.

• Eradicate all illegal liquor traders in the community.

• Deport all undocumented foreign nationals in the community.

Booysens Police Station was given 14 days to respond to the memorandum of grievances.

DOWNLOAD: ANC MEMORANDUM OF DEMANDS TO BOOYSENS POLICE STATION