Cele vows probe into Westbury police corruption
Police Minister Bheki Cele has asked National Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole to investigate alleged corruption and misconduct at the Sophiatown Police Station.
The police station services the violence-ridden Westbury.
The intervention was just one of several announced by Cele during a community meeting at a local sportsground on Tuesday, amid the ongoing protests in the area.
Angry residents have taken to the streets, blockading roads, burning tyres and littering, complaining of escalating levels of gangster wars and drug peddling.
The investigation into alleged police misconduct will be completed in seven days.
"The national commissioner will as from today institute an investigation into the behaviour of the station. The results of the probe will be released in a week.
"Sometimes they are [allegedly] in cohorts with the drug lords [and the] issue of station management at times were not cooperating with the community. Police will investigate those accused of being corrupt. We’ll work with you so we can immediately act," he said.
Cele conceded that the community had every right to voice concerns. However, he warned that this did not mean they had to be violent while doing so.
"The right they do not have is to be violent as they do that. To say we’ve waited for the community to rise before coming here is not true."
During the engagement, the community requested that the police deploy a Tactical Response Team Unit.
"That unit will be here from today. They join a team of 20 already in the area to patrol the streets."
Cele said another police unit working on drug trade allegations would also be announced.