Note to editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Refiloe Nt’sekhe MPL.
- 18 murders in 18 months, but only three cases resulted in arrests at Vusimuzi Informal Settlement.
- Poor policing, lighting and liquor-related crime are leaving Vusimuzi residents vulnerable.
- The DA would strengthen visible policing and implement our Catch, Convict and Clean approach.
Residents of Vusimuzi Informal Settlement in Tembisa, Ekurhuleni are living in fear after 18 dead bodies were found in the area over 18 months. All 18 cases were opened as murder investigations, but only three cases resulted in arrests. The latest victim, Ntombifuthi Nxumalo, whose death has once again exposed the deadly violence facing residents in the area.
The DA will table follow-up questions to ascertain how many vehicles and police personnel are stationed at the Tembisa South Police Station to ensure visible policing and curb these senseless murders. We will also enquire about the status of the 15 murder cases where arrests have yet to be made.
The Gauteng Department of Community Safety disclosed this alarming information in a response to an oral question posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature regarding the frequent killings in the area. The department further confirmed that the recorded causes of death included gunshot wounds, fatal assaults, stabbings and burn injuries.
See reply here.
Interestingly, the department observed that daily policing, patrols, stop-and-search operations, intelligence-driven operations, and joint law-enforcement operations are taking place in Vusimuzi. It also acknowledged serious problems with liquor outlets, inadequate street lighting, poor roads, restricted vehicle access, and inadequate or duplicated house numbers. Most concerning is the department’s own admission that approximately 90% of reported crime in Vusimuzi is liquor-related and predominantly involves assault and domestic violence.
The loss of 18 lives in 18 months is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about the effectiveness of policing in this area. These are not merely numbers on a spreadsheet. These are 18 people whose lives have been prematurely taken and whose families are now living with the pain of their loss.
More concerning is that only three of the 18 cases have resulted in arrests, leaving most families without justice. Vusimuzi residents need more than promises of police visibility. They need sustained policing, proper lighting, accessible roads, enforcement of liquor regulations, and decisive action against domestic violence. Failure to address these challenges will only encourage criminals to persist in their horrific acts of violence.
It is high time that Premier Panyaza Lesufi, who is also the MEC for Community Safety, matches his words with action to protect residents. He has the DA’s needs analysis report for all Gauteng police stations and our recommendation that he engage his national counterpart, the Acting National Police Minister, Firoz Cachalia, on devolving policing powers to Gauteng and improving the resourcing of police stations. The question is: how many more lives must be lost before he acts?
A DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would push for devolved policing powers to better resource stations like Tembisa South with operational vehicles and more boots on the ground. We would strengthen intelligence-led policing, increase visible policing in crime hotspots, and address conditions that enable crime, including poor lighting, inaccessible roads, and illegal liquor outlets. In addition, we will implement our CCC approach: Catch, Convict and Clean to expedite investigations and ensure prompt judicial outcomes.