Johannesburg - Residents of Evaton marched to their local police station on Thursday to demand the removal of the local police chief.
Residents of the suburb in the south of Johannesburg gave a list of demands to Gauteng community safety MEC Faith Mazibuko.
These included the immediate removal of Evaton station commander Brigadier Hester Bischoff and members of her management team.
They also wanted a new police station and the resolution of outstanding criminal cases opened by the public.
Evaton Community Police Forum chairman Jacob Mhlambi, who participated in the march, said change was needed in the management structures of the police at local level.
“We are not happy with the current increase in crime in the area. We are in dire need of some form of intervention to ensure the best police service is provided to the local community,” Mhlambi said.
“It is appalling to see the police operating from a dilapidated police station to address the high crime levels in the area. We need a new station commander and a new station for Evaton.”
Mazibuko accepted the memorandum which was signed by 5 000 residents and promised to give feedback within the next two weeks.
She told demonstrators it was their democratic right to march to highlight issues in the community.
“We have come a long way from the 'skop-skiet-en-donder' (kick, shoot and pummel) days of the police before 1994,” Mazibuko told the crowd.
“As government, the police would always be held accountable to provide proper law and order for all South Africans,” she said.
Sapa