Cape Town - Cosatu Western Cape took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against rampant crime ahead of their May Day rally in Athlone.
Led by provincial chairperson Motlatsi Tsubane, the labour federation handed a memorandum of demands to Athlone station commander Major-General Mpumelelo Manci.
Addressing the marchers, Tsubane said the march was part of their campaigns.
"These are issues we raised last year... even the year before," he said. Tsubane said they wanted a police force which was responsive.
"We want the police which deals with gangsterism effectively. We want police that patrols our streets on a daily basis as they do in Constantia," he added.
In their demands, Cosatu Western Cape said it wanted a responsive government that listens to the people.
"We want a government to respond as soon as possible," said provincial treasurer Ingrid Beukes, who read the memorandum. She said the government should end corruption.
Beukes also said all police stations should be evaluated by communities and that quarterly report meetings be held by police station commanders.
"We demand patrols in industrial areas. We demand public safety at railway stations."
Beukes said the police should enforce provisions of the Domestic Violence as a matter of priority.
She also said the police should fire officers that were involved in corruption and gangsterism, and that firearms be removed from communities. Beukes also said the SAPS provincial commissioner should be fired for failing to deal with crime effectively.
Video: Tracey Adams/African News Agency (ANA)
Responding to the memorandum, Manci said they received it on behalf of SAPS management with gratitude. He said Cosatu was exercising it's right to express itself and made the demands in an exemplary way.
"We know that we have responsibilities to provide safety to all people in the province," he said. Manci also said they knew that there was an expectation of an action plan arising from the memorandum, which would be communicated in three weeks time.
He assured the marchers that the memorandum would b escalated to provincial and national commissioners as well as Police Minister Bheki Cele.