Cape Town - Community leaders in Macassar are seeking an audience with the provincial police management following the murder of five people in the area in a space of 10 days.
The victims – between 25 and 44 years old – were all stabbed to death in separate incidents between January 8 and 17.
Ward councillor Peter Helfrich said that while gang violence and serious crimes in Macassar had spiralled out of control, reports received from residents were that the police had failed them.
He said residents were saying there was lack of police visibility and refusal to open certain cases. Helfrich said this had resulted in gangsters operating freely and without fear.
Helfrich said police in the area were under-resourced to a point that they were no longer able to deal with crime effectively.
“We cannot expect our SAPS officers to perform if they are not provided with the required resources. For as long as residents complain to me about the poor services they receive, I will fight this on a national and provincial level. I don’t blame our local men and women in blue.
“My issue is with SAPS management nationally and provincially and especially Minister Bheki Cele. They are not providing SAPS Macassar with the required resources for them to do their job effectively,” he said.
Helfrich said only interventions by the City’s Metro police ensured that the area was still able to apprehend gangsters, criminals and murderers.
Community leader Christiaan Steward said that in addition to the crime issue in the area, certain cases were not receiving serious attention when reported to the police.
“Since November last year ,up until today, we have been experiencing murders – and its young kids doing this evil. What we are asking is for more police officers in this area of Macassar. Every time we receive new police officers they get transferred to other areas.”
Steward said more involvement from all stakeholders from Macassar was needed to remedy the current situation.
Macassar CPF chairperson Mark Baatjies said he doesn’t know if the police station’s management team asked for a proper investigation into the station’s leadership.