A GROUP of community patrollers from Diepkloof, Soweto lashed out at the local police, calling them useless and even alleging that they benefit from not arresting criminals.
More than a dozen members of Phakama Mhlali Patrollers Forum marched to the Diepkloof Police Station over the weekend to voice out their grievances on crime in the area and the apparent lack of action from local cops.
The patrollers alleged that the police work with criminals and fail to act against suspected drug dealers and lawbreakers. They said they arrest the perpetrators and hand them over to the police, but they never see the results.
An angry resident boldly said the police are useless.
“As Diepkloof residents, this police station is not working for us. Patrollers work 24 hours, apprehend criminals and hand them over to the police. The following day, you will meet the very same criminal walking down the street.
"These criminals say it straight to our faces that we won’t do anything to them because they're on the same route with the cops. Our cops are very useless. The male cops should just wear dresses,” said the resident.
The patrollers also alleged that the police have deals with drug dealers in the community.
A memorandum of demands was handed over to the station commander, Brigadier Makgomo Maake.
Reading out the memorandum, one of the patrollers, Tshepo Ntsoelengoe said: “We've discovered that our police station no longer upholds its duties to ensure the safety of our community against crime.
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"Crime keeps increasing daily and criminals are roaming freely in the streets as if they've done nothing wrong in our community. Our police accept bribes from the same criminals. A lot of reported cases remain unresolved, and the victim ends up losing trust and hope in our police station."
After receiving the memorandum, Maake said she acknowledged it.
“We've heard your grievances and have noted them down. The feedback that you're looking for on or before the 7th will be made available,” she said.
She added that she appreciates the patrollers who go out to patrol and look out for the community.
