Gauteng Premier David Makhura paid a surprise visit to Sophiatown Police Station following the attempted murder of a three-year-old boy in Westbury.
On Saturday night, three year old Luke Tibbets was shot at during a crossfire on 2 August. Luke was shot at while sitting on his mother’s lap, at the back seat of a car.
During his visit, Gauteng Premier advised community members not to take matters into their own hands.
“The community must come together and help the police in their investigation so that justice can be served,” pleaded Makhura. “The community needs to get involved and come forward with the information.”
Community members used the opportunity to voice out their dissatisfaction with the Sophiatown Police. Among other things, they told Makhura that alleged criminals walked free despite them blowing the whistle on their criminal actions. “People arrested for various crimes are usually released and back on the streets the next day,” said one concerned resident who wished to remain anonymous.
Contrary to the resident’s complaints and concerns about police, the premier commanded Sophiatown Police for being the best police station in the cluster.
“We are here to fix that and deal with these issues,” added Makhura. “The only way to eradicate crime was for the community and the police to work together.”
Sophiatown Station Commander Susan Pitout said the community should afford justice to take its course.
“We sat till 12 midnight just to get statements from people because they kept on changing statements leading to the ordeal and it looks like they will do everything to protect the person inside which affects the hands of justice,” she said.
Westbury resident Jennifer Jacobs shared that she also lost her daughter who was in Grade 12 a while back on the same street. “I know the guy who is accused of this, he is a violent guy and it is not the first time he is doing these things.”
The case will be heard on August 12 when the man is expected to apply for bail.
