Everson Luhanga
For the second time in a year, a protest against spiralling crime in the township of Diepsloot in Gauteng descended into violence against foreign nationals.
On Wednesday, the desperate residents embarked on a peaceful march to the police station, where they handed over a memorandum pleading for more protection from authorities.
Among the demands in their petition is the visibility of the police and the return of the Tactical Response Team (TRT), famously known as Amaberethe.
After handing over the memorandum, however, the initially peaceful march turned into a violent rampage on foreigners, who many blame for the plague of violent crime.
After handing over the petition, a mob split off to destroy church structures in the veld mostly used by Zimbabweans.
People who were found praying were chased away and their structures were destroyed.
The day felt all too familiar for many, as they had handed police a memorandum in April following the murders of seven people in a single night.
That episode also was marred by mob violence against foreign nationals, when a Zimbabwean man called Elvis Nyathi was murdered by residents for a crime he did not commit.
Community leader and organiser of the march, Loyiso Toyiya, stressed that the march on Wednesday was all about criminals who have made their lives a living hell.
He said the community appreciated Police Minister Bheki Cele’s intervention earlier this year by bringing in the extra police force and police cars. He said, however, that nothing has really changed as the criminals once again run the show in the Gauteng township.
“When minister Cele was here, officers were working and we had peace,” he explained.
The TRT members were not taking nonsense, and the streets were quiet, especially at night.
“There were no unnecessary movements of the people and once someone was found at night, they were searched,” he said.
However, he said this only lasted three months. “We don’t know whether the minister withdrew the TRT as we started seeing less and less of them.
“At the moment, we only see one branded minibus taxi with a few members inside.”
Vincent Ndou, CPF chair in extension 11, said they told the police management who received the petition that they are giving them three weeks to respond to their demand.
“If we don’t get the desired response from the authorities, we will know that we are on our own and we will go our own way,” he said.
Ndou said several people have become victims of crime in recent weeks. “A couple was gunned down in front of their children and many other people were shot and killed.”
After handing over the petition, residents went on a rampage going down to destroy church structures in the veld mostly used by Zimbabweans.
People who were found praying were chased away and their structures were destroyed.
Residents say most of the crime is committed by foreign nationals. They want those people who are here in the country illegally to leave.
Picture above: a church structure was torched by residents following protest against violent crime
