Chaos, the order of the day as angry residents ‘gun’ for police minister Cele

Chants, insults and hostile responses were the order of the day in Kliptown, Soweto, as residents gunned – metaphorically speaking – for Police Minister Bheki Cele.

Kliptown community members were angry as they raised concerns about the management of the Kliptown police station and claimed the police had turned a blind eye to the issues leading to increased crime.

The Kliptown police station, described as the “dining room” for not being operational, closed daily around 6.30pm, they said.

A resident, Lerata Msibi, said it was appalling that an entire police precinct was unstable and compromised the safety of the community.

He said there was no effort from officials, the station was sunk by corruption and the community was fully aware of this.

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“We are not safe here and this police station is not working, so it’s best it closes,” he said.

“The area is not safe and we are exposed to a lot of crime with no help.

“We don’t sleep here, every day we constantly hear sounds of gunshots.”

A Malawian, Henderon Chapatera, said he lived in the area and accused the police of abusing their powers. Chapatera said his younger brother, Parzair, had been assaulted and arrested at his house by police officers because he did not have his passport.

Chapatera said he was unable to resolve the matter because the officers wanted a bribe.

“I am told that I need to take money in order to get him out and I don’t know where I will get that money. I do not have it because I am not working but I am required to take out a bribe,” he said.

Cele said, based on a report he had received from the Kliptown police station, the station did not have the necessary equipment and resources to operate.

The station currently had enough police officers but did not have vehicles, Cele said.

“I have spoken to the national commissioner [and told him] that we will aid them with 10 vehicles to assist them,” he said “We want to eliminate the problem of them saying they do not have enough equipment and cannot do the work.

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“As a government and department, we need to provide, so we will be able to fight with them if there are still problems after.”

However, Kagiso Chutlhane from the Greater Kliptown Leadership Forum said he had no hope that things in the community would get better.

Chutlhane said crime was at an alltime high in the area and it was surrounded with scrapyards, which were involved in shady dealings and which worked alongside the police.

“How can we feel safe when the same officers are failing us,” he asked.

“One would never get helped here. You get robbed in broad daylight and there is nothing done about that.”