MAGAKALA- Residents claim they have lost confidence with the men in blue at the local Mecklenburg Police Station.
Residents feel that the station is not doing enough to protect them as law-abiding citizens.
This comes after two community members were allegedly shot by a gunman who works at one of the mine security companies in the area. According to the victims, the man met them at one of the village roads last Monday and started firing a deluge of rubber bullets at them.
“He accused us of causing protests at the local Chromex Mine; we don’t remember organising any strike. We only partook in a community meeting earlier on the day,” said one of the men, Mr Tebogo Sekgobela.
He said he was shocked when he and his friend Willy Moela were arrested after they tried to open a case against the gunman.
“We arrived at the station to open a case against the man, but they told us we needed to go to hospital because of the injuries we sustained, When we were discharged, instead of arresting the gunman, they arrested us and refused to hear our side. We were taken to custody and we are now out on R500 bail. When we tried to open a case against the gunman, no one allowed us to do so,“ they alleged.
“I don’t know how the police operate, I was shot but they arrested me,” he questioned.
Residents hinted that a change of management at the station would be a solution to their problems.
“Maybe the management of the police station must be changed, they have overstayed, some of them had been working at Mecklenburg for the past 20 years. It’s high time they move to other stations,” they suggested.
To get improved services, residents invited top cop and cluster commander of Tubatse Maj Genl Masipha Maepa to listen to their pleas.
“I have heard all your concerns and I will talk to management of the station, I cannot make any decision or start pointing fingers as I haven’t heard what the police are saying about the allegations raised against them.”
Maepa assured the villagers that his department was prepared to combat crime and to work with local communities.
