Cape Town - The Langa community is rallying behind the two murder-accused members of the Langa Safety Patrol who recently appeared in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court.
An early evening community meeting on Sunday led to a demonstration in front of the local police station where the residents demanded action on a memorandum they submitted in 2021.
The Langa Safety Patrol is known for arresting suspected criminals in the area and parading them on social media in an attempt to dissuade youngsters from engaging in criminality.
The patrol also won the Team of the Year award in the group’s award category from the City in 2021 for “outstanding achievement” in safeguarding its members and property against crime and other safety-related challenges.
The LSP members allegedly assaulted a man on January 3 at the local cemetery after a theft complaint from a Langa resident. The victim later died in the hospital.
The community’s friction with the police in the area is long-standing, and at one point they called for its closure.
During the tenure of the former station commander, Diedre Engelbrecht, they led a march in June 2021 after labelling it dysfunctional with incompetent and corrupt police officers.
The enraged residents called the police “useless” and in support of the LSP, called on the police to improve their service delivery.
It was against this backdrop that the member of the interim committee, Zongamile Baliso, addressed the police and reminded them that the issues which the community marched for and submitted a memorandum about were still outstanding.
“As the residents, we are willing to stand with the LSP. These guys have sacrificed their lives for many of us. It is painful to know that the same people who are recovering cellphones, ensure that when one is robbed or has a house burgled, are at the forefront of recovering these.
“We don’t care what happened … but our position in this matter is to ensure we support our own. This is a Langa initiative that has proven itself beyond doubt in terms of its performance,” he said.
Approached for a comment, the Langa Policing Forum said the matter was sub judice and could not comment further. However, it said it entrusted that the case would be investigated thoroughly and that the court would arrive at an appropriate conclusion.
The two members aged 32 and 34 are expected to return to court on February 23.