Langa community members want the new station commander to focus on his “useless” police officers and leave patrol members alone.
In a meeting held in an open space next to Guga Sithebe, the community vowed to do everything in their power to protect two Langa Safety Patrol (LSP) members who were arrested on 10 January on charges of murder.
The two were arrested after the assault of a person who later died in hospital, according to Western Cape police spokesperson Captain Frederick van Wyk.
To show their support of the LSP, each person will contribute R100, with only R50 expected from older people. The money will go towards the patrollers’ lawyer fees.
Business people have contributed six Quantum taxis to take residents to court when the patrollers appear for their next date.
Activist Apostle Zongamele Baliso says some people want to destroy the patrol. “Patrol is our only hope, and as long as we live, we will support and stand by them all the time. They are sacrificing their time protecting the community, something that our police fail to do.”
The patrol’s next court appearance date is 23 January. “We will need to support them financially. They have been there for us; now is the time for us to show appreciation. Patrol is the best thing for Langa, and we trust them more than we trust police officers.”
The patrol is known for catching illegal criminals and making them confess on its Facebook page.
Baliso is confused about the station commander’s request for everyone assaulted by the patrol to come forward and report cases. “That statement alone shows that he doesn’t want patrol. It shows that he supports criminals more; he supports people helping them with their job by fighting crime in the community.”
A community member doesn’t understand why the patrollers were arrested in the first place. “I don’t want to talk too much about the murder, but the deceased said on one of the videos posted on the patrol Facebook page that if they catch him again, he must be killed.
“He has been committing countless crimes over and over again. He terrorised us.”
They believe that someone is trying to close down the patrol. “We have stopped reporting cases to our SAPS because they are useless. We only use them when we need an affidavit and stamp because that’s what they are good at.”
Station Commander Colonel Tebogo Jacobs said that “We must work with all the structures for the safety of the community but there are guidelines and rules that govern all the institutions and that have to be respected and complied with.”
Pictured above: Langa community members in Cape Town held a meeting after the arrest of two patrol members. The patrollers have been accused of murder, and the community has vowed to support them during this difficult time
Image Credit: Buziwe Nocuze
