‘Criminals have turned Diepsloot into a shooting range’ – residents plead for police action
Diepsloot community members have given authorities seven days to respond to their demands for interventions to curb the spate of killings in the township.
The Diepsloot Community Forum led a group of about 300 marchers to the police station where their document was received by Johannesburg District Commissioner Max Masha.
Masha confirmed 11 people were killed in the township over the last two weeks.
“We are aware of the challenge of murders in this place. We have increased our deployment in this area. So far, about 11 murders took place over about two weeks.”
Community members donned t-shirts from various civic and political organisations to demonstrate that they put their differences aside to unite behind the call.
March leader Loyiso Toyiya said the latest killing took place on Thursday night.
“Someone was killed yesterday, and others are fighting for their lives in hospital. In a space of two weeks, we’ve lost more than 10 people, including one of your own, a police officer,” Toyiya told Masha.
Residents demanded the immediate and permanent deployment of the tactical response teams to the area, among others.
“Whenever we speak with him [Police Minister Bheki Cele] he will send the TRT here for three months. When there’s a disaster in Riverlea, he’s taking the very same people to Riverlea.
“He’s rotating these people across the country, and as Diepsloot people our situation must be declared as an emergency. We want the deployment of amaBerethe on a permanent basis,” said march leader Lefa Nkala.
There had been similar protests in the area last year, which elicited the deployment of additional police resources as well as customs and home affairs officials following visits by Cele and Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.
They said they didn’t want Cele’s intervention, as they were only temporary, and have continued calls for President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene.
Nkala: “We’re under siege. It’s clear we aren’t dealing with normal criminals here. We’re dealing with people who’ve declared a war against the community”
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) September 15, 2023
Residents allege there’s a group of criminals in a minibus who terrorise the community #DiepslootProtest pic.twitter.com/Ctd8UQ1n3L
At the same time, Toyiya dismissed claims the protest was politically motivated.
Toyiya, Nkala, and Jack Hlongwane were released on R500 bail after spending a week in custody.
READ: ‘There’s no case here’ - Diepsloot residents demand leaders’ release
They face charges of public violence, intimidation, and malicious damage to property after the anti-crime protests, they were leading turned violent.
Instead, Toyiya claimed politicians were behind their arrests, adding they were not involved in any of the violence.
He claims Nkala received a threatening message, warning that if he continued with the march, he would be arrested for contravening his bail conditions – which included not participating in any acts of public violence.
Nkala said he took the risk and led Friday’s march because he was confident the people of Diepsloot understood their cause was serious and demanded the utmost discipline.
“We’ve been on the streets for many years, and they would always be listening to their leaders. We were sure that there would be no violence today.
"Despite there being an earlier debate over where the memorandum would be delivered, after residents refused to do so at Sarafina Park as planned instead demanding to go to the police station where they did hand it over, Major general Masha’s promised to deliver the document to his principles and give the necessary response within the period given."
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