Police Minister Bheki Cele arrived in Diepsloot where residents have taken to the streets to protest after seven people were reportedly shot dead and 14 othersnjured in separate incidents recently.
Durban – Law enforcement officials were seen hard at work this week in the Diepsloot area in Gauteng, as the number of illegal foreign national arrests continues to increase amid the community protests over the scathing crime rate and immigration laws.
Around 27 people were arrested overnight, and more were arrested on Friday morning, according to several local media reports. Around 50 people have reportedly been arrested since the start of the week when protests ensued.
SAPS and JMPD officers were seen arresting foreign national residents who are believed to be on South African soil illegally.
Among the community concerns was the lack of police presence in the area. Residents demanded more units, and Minister Bheki Cele visited the area earlier this week to heed the call.
With the wave of a wand, 16 new patrol vehicles were delivered to Diepsloot police station to quell fears and anguish that settled like a cloud over the community in the wake of numerous unsolved murders.
Residents also complained about some police officers being corrupt and part of the problem at Diepsloot.
Cele said during his visit on Wednesday that investigations would be conducted in instances where police members are accused of corruption.
He also called on other state departments to help bring calm to the community, as the issue was broader than that of the SAPS mandate.
“We are coming back on Friday to have a programme going forward on how we sustain things that we have agreed to and things that we have put in here.
“Tonight, as we’ve said, the national commissioner (Fannie Masemola) is here, he’s bringing special units of TRT, we are bringing POP, people from metro, a special detective team to deal with cold cases, and we are bringing 16 more cars in the next 24 hours,” the minister said.
Since last weekend, around five to seven murders occurred in Diepsloot, the minister confirmed. He said 11 murders happened since the last quarter, with only four arrests made.
Cele, together with Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi are expected to visit Diepsloot on Friday.
