Ward 108 residents express reservations with level of service from Alex SAPS
Residents of Ward 108 want to know from the police why suspects are arrested and the next day they are seen freely walking the streets of the ward again.
Ward 108 residents have expressed their reservations about the level of service they get from the Alexandra SAPS while at the same time applauding the advent of street patrollers.
They expressed their dissatisfaction to Sergeant Ramokone Maluleke of the Social Crimes Unit at the Alexandra Police Station, who had come to give input around gender-based violence in the township in general at the Masiphephe Network of like-minded community organisations operating in Alexandra.
The workshop was held at the Christian Apostolic Church on 12th Avenue, corner of John Brand Street. The purpose was to engage residents of the ward to understand their views and state of gender-based violence and other criminal activities.
Some of the concerns raised included groups of youth that smoke hubbly-bubbly laced with drugs, drug lords that trade freely in the ward and taverns that sell liquor to underage children. The community also applauded the community patrollers who played a major role in the reduction of gender-based violence cases in the area.
Residents also questioned Maluleke on why some suspects arrested for various crimes are usually seen a day or so later freely walking the streets again with no information about the case passed on to victims.
Maluleke said their primary function was to gather evidence around any case before them and arrest the suspect. “Once the suspects are handed over to the justice system, our work ends there and what happens in the courts is no longer our business. We cannot interfere in that part of the justice system or question their decisions.”
Workshop moderator Sidwell Sehoana said the network should invite one of the court officials for the follow-up workshop to come and explain themselves and enlighten community members on how the justice system works and how they arrive at certain decisions.
“We need to hold them accountable too. We cannot let such an important system of our democracy and rule of law not account for what may be perceived as a bad decision on their part. We need them here to explain themselves.”
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