DIEPSLOOT community members faced tear gas as they embarked on their ongoing protest on Tuesday, 21 June.
The demonstration, which entered day two, saw members of the community barricade streets with burning tyres and stones as they let out their anger over the increased crime rate in the area.
The protest comes after a Community Protection Forum member's recent death after he was allegedly shot at while attending a crime scene where thugs targeted a shop owner in extension 15.
He was rushed to the hospital and succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, 18 June.
Scenes in Diepsloot in Johannesburg remain vile this as residents have gone out to protest over the increased rate of crime in the area. @dailysunsa pic.twitter.com/C8g5BfieFc
— Zandile Ethel Khumalo (@Ethel_Khumalo) June 20, 2023
Recidents in Diepsloot did not take this death lightly. Since last night community members hit the streets as they barricaded the road with buring tires. These scenes proceeded on Tuesday morning. pic.twitter.com/FD6oH4zVxx
— Zandile Ethel Khumalo (@Ethel_Khumalo) June 20, 2023
"His death has left us scarred. He was a respected man in the community. He defended the community since we have known him.
"I am not ok. As we sit here, we watch people coming in and out of his house. His death is surreal. He was a phone call away when a thug would storm into our homes. We don't know where this leaves us because we depended on him a lot," Alicia Mbulawa, a resident, said.
As the SunTeam drove through the streets of Diepsloot well-known supermarkets in the area were closed down while streets were filled with the rubble of massive municipal rubbish bins spilt over and concrete blocks on the ground.
Heavy police visibility on the ground was witnessed while crowds of protestors continued to rage on.
"Our kids are being killed. Gunshots wake us up is not good. This has been going on for a very long time. Nobody is helping us. Police have turned a blind eye to the crime rate and killings in this area," Matshidiso Maifo said.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed that at least since the beginning of June, they had recorded six murders in the area leading to arrests.
"We have made several arrests, including six suspects that were arrested in a case of attempted murder and house robbery. Three more suspects were arrested for separate cases of armed robbery, five for pointing a firearm, and that firearm was seized. Since the beginning of April, 82 people have been arrested for drinking in public as they ended up being targeted by armed robbers.
"We have closed two illegal shebeens that are generators of common robberies, assaults [gender-based violence] and domestic violence-related cases," she said.
Muridili has also noted the reasons behind the protest and said community members are complaining, amongst other things, police visibility and increased crime rate in the area and the influx of illegal immigrants who are committing crimes and other service delivery issues.
