Orlando East residents are living in fear following shooting incidents, allegedly by members of the SAPS based at the Orlando Police Station.
The shootings come after a member of the VIP protection unit, Edward “Dali” Dloboyi, was murdered last Thursday at his home in Meadowlands by unknown people. His car was allegedly found stripped inside a nearby hostel. The motive for the killing is being investigated, said police.
According to a source who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, Dloboyi was a messenger in the office of the deputy minister in the Department of Higher Education and Training. He is said to have also been a former member of the protection unit of former president Jacob Zuma.
While some are saying that it is usual to hear gunfire whenever a soldier, police officer or politician has died, other residents claim that they are being terrorised by a group of known “rogue cops” from the Orlando Police Station who have a long history of brutalising the community.
It is said the unit, that doesn’t wear any police uniform, referrers to itself as “Satan” and some residents have said they are notorious for killings and abductions in the community.
“We are subjected to fear. Our safety is being compromised by these rogue cops. We are unable to report this misconduct to the same cops. Our families may be targeted by the same rogue cops if we report them. They even call themselves ‘Satan’ for causing havoc in our community,” a resident complained.
Other residents said that it was “quiet and innocent” during the day. However, the situation drastically changed once the sun sets.
“It is surprising that the shootings take place between 8pm to midnight, the people who are shooting are known to the community despite wearing balaclavas and they are members of the SAPS,” the resident said.
The ANC ward councillor for Orlando East, Bongani Dlamini, said he was aware of the shootings.
“The people who are doing these shootings are doing that when law enforcement agencies are absent. They do not do these shootings in the presence of SAPS, JMPD (Joburg Metropolitan Police Department) or SANDF.
“I know that residents are living in fear but we don’t have information as to who is behind these shootings,” Dlamini said.
SAPS spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubela did not respond to written questions sent to him on Thursday.