By Everson Luhanga
There has been a massive police deployment in Diepsloot following last week’s protest against the rise of crime in the township.
Both the South African Police Service and the Johannesburg Metro police have deployed officials who have been patrolling the streets.
The deployment comes after residents from different sections joined hands and took to the streets on Friday.
Johannesburg Executive Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda will be in the township on Monday engaging leaders of the community at 3 pm at the God’s Will Church.
Mayor Gwamanda will be joined by other senior city officials from different departments.
Scrolla.Africa understands that MMC Public Safety Dr. Mgcini Tshwaku, MMC Development Planning Richard Funzela Ngobeni, and MMC for Housing Mzobanzi Ntuli will be among the city officials accompanying the mayor.
Community leader Loyiso Toyiya said the officials’ immediate concerns are the hotspots where they’ve requested beefing up of JMPD visibility due to the high rate of crime, these areas are as follows: Ward 113 (Pedestrian bridge between Ext 6 and 7), Ext 5 and 7 bridge and Ext 7 next to the house no: 5867. “These are some of the troubled areas where crime is rife,” he said.
Lefa Nkala, leader of the Diepsloot Community Forum, said the community is happy that the police are on the ground.
“There is a massive police visibility. The police have deployed detectives in the area who are tracing and tracking dangerous criminals,” said Nkala.
“Walking in the streets, one can see the change. I have seen police officers arrest some suspects in various areas of the township. This is what we wanted for criminality to be rooted out,” said Nkala.
Nkala said in response to their memorandum of demands, officials and the community have mutually agreed to formalise informal settlements and tackle the issue of undocumented foreign nationals and land invasion among others.
Friday’s protest was the third protest in Diepsloot this year where residents pleaded with officials to combat crime.
In June, three of the community leaders were arrested and charged with inciting violence and damage to property among other charges. Their case is still in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court and they were released on R500 bail each.
Pictured above: Protests in Diepsloot
Image source: File
