Johannesburg - Diepsloot residents stormed the police station on Thursday morning demanding officers hand over the man accused of killing a cop last week.
Detective Captain Oupa Matjie was fatally shot while in pursuit of suspects last week in the area. A man has been arrested for the officer's murder and was due in the Randburg Magistrate's court on Thursday.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters, the residents demanded the man be released and handed over to the community. When this didn’t happen, a protest erupted and they burned tyres in the middle of main roads and turned on foreign nationals.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Diepsloot?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Diepslootdecided to take it to the streets in the early hours today over "killings of South Africans in the community by foreign nationals". #DiepslootProtest @TheStar_news @ReporterStar
— MoYet (@yethudlamini)
Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela urged the community to be mindful of the law and due processes.
“The arrest of the suspect who allegedly shot and killed Captain Matjie, came after collaboration between the community and the police,” said Mawela.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Diepsloot?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Diepsloot #DiepslootProtest
— MoYet (@yethudlamini)
He added that it was therefore important that the suspect's appearance before court be secured.
“It should not be jeopardised in any manner, so that the suspect faces the full might of the law,” Mawela said.
“Public Order Police have since the early hours of this morning, been on high-alert monitoring the situation and dispersing groups who had barricaded some main routes in the area, including the William Nicol and the R551 roads,” Peters said.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/DiepslootProtest?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DiepslootProtest #Diepsloot @ReporterStar
— MoYet (@yethudlamini)
Joburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said motorists were being diverted away from R511 between N1 and N14.
“There's no access to Diepsloot from William Nicol Drive or the N14. Protesters have placed rocks and burning tyres on R511 and Nkonyama Drive.”
“The roads will remain closed because it is not safe to use,” Minnaar said.
On social media, users reacted to the violence by calling on the government to enforce tighter border controls.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/HermanMashaba?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HermanMashabahe is the only person who takes our cry serious when it comes to foreigners. @MYANC won't do anything, worse @EFFSouthAfrica wants to open borders. #Diepsloot
— Mimi_AfricanQueen (@Mimi72581765)