Pretoria - A man was hanging precariously on the rooftop of the Sunnyside police station on Tuesday as negotiators and police officers tried to convince him to come down.
Several SAPS vehicles were used to block Leyds Street and a City of Tshwane fire engine was deployed to the scene.
After several hours on the roof, a negotiator climbed the ladder of the fire engine and negotiated with the man for a few minutes. Moments later, the negotiator climbed down, leaving the man on top of the roof.
Some residents who had gathered to see the spectacle remarked that it’s a shutdown of the police station, in reference to the national shutdown led by the EFF on Monday.
“The station does not work anyway and I think he is there to raise awareness. Whether Sunnyside police station is open or closed, it’s all the same,” remarked one onlooker.
Another onlooker, Isabel Mahlangu said the incident has “exposed” the police station.
“In Sunnyside we are sick and tired of crime happening right in front of the cops. The question we must be asking is, how did he get there? Are we safe in this country if the police can be compromised like this?” she said.
“Sunnyside SAPS is rotten and it is why even nyaope boys are taking it for granted. It’s a circus here,” she added.
Tshwane Emergency Services’ Thabo Mabaso said they were called to the scene around midday on Tuesday.
“We found a man on the rooftop of the Sunnyside police station threatening suicide, we put resources on standby, a fire engine and a ladder company. Just after 1pm, we handed over the scene to the police,” Mabaso said.
Mabaso said they stayed on the scene until the man was rescued by police officers.
IOL