The ward 66 councillor, Clr Carlos da Rocha, said the Jeppe SAPS is failing the residents of Bez Valley.
He said the area has been hard hit by the ongoing theft of water meters.
Clr Da Rocha said he and the residents have been calling the police and giving leads but no arrests have yet been made.
“I gave the police the information that these people steal the meters between 2am and 4am.
“I also gave the police accurate information as to where the criminals were to hit. It included times. I requested them to implement patrols but it was ignored,” said Clr Da Rocha.
He said due to the desperation and the calls from the residents, he and some residents patrolled Bez Valley one night last week.
“We combed the Bez Valley avenues from 1am to 5am. I did not see a patrol car once in Bez Valley.
“The Jeppe SAPS is failing my community, the fact that no visible patrolling car was seen, explains why there is an escalation of crime in my ward,” Clr Da Rocha said.
He said they saw possible suspects but could not arrest them because the law did not allow civilians to search the suspects.
“We saw a car with an unreadable back number plate, without the front one, picking up suspicious looking individuals around 4am. This car was seen around the area during meter thefts before.
“That clearly indicates that this was the transport for the meter thieves. Should the police have been more cooperative and accommodating, we could have had possible syndicates. But again, let the desperate residents fend for themselves because we have no service from the Jeppe Police Station,” he said.
He said the residents have to make a decision.
“Residents are forced to lock themselves inside, as they fear for their lives and have to defend themselves because the Jeppe SAPS is failing to serve and protect them,” said Clr Da Rocha.
The Jeppe SAPS spokesperson, Warrant Officer Richard Munyayi, said after receiving information about the water meter thefts in the area, the acting station commander, Colonel Lindiwe Magudulela ordered more visibility in the area.
“She took it up with our Client Services Centre commanders to inform their sector vans to patrol and to stop and search any suspicious looking people,” W/O Munyayi said.
He said the number of patrol vans depends on the availability of the vans.
