Gauteng Hostel Dwellers Voice Concerns to SAPS Top Brass Over Crime and Police Response Time

• The police ministry has met with hostel dwellers in Gauteng to hear their concerns regarding crime and the response time from SAPS
• Police Minister Bheki Cele and other top officials are holding community meetings called Izimbizo in Vanderbijlpark and Soweto
• The meetings are part of ongoing efforts to flush out criminality in Gauteng communities and improve working relations with residents

JOHANNESBURG - The izinduna, representing thousands of hostel dwellers, have voiced their concerns regarding violent crime and slow response times by police.

Izinduna voice concerns

Many hostel residents feel that unjust blame is often placed on them for crimes they did not commit.

According to eNCA, these hostels are known for housing people involved in crime and violence.

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The Police Ministry and SAPS management met with induna on Saturday to foster community policing and improve relations between the SAPS and people residing in Gauteng hostels.

Police top brass tackle crime

The engagement aims to address the challenges faced by hostel communities and strengthen collaboration with law enforcement for effective crime prevention and response.

The izinduna from 16 hostels in the Johannesburg district are directly engaging with the SAPS top brass, highlighting the urgency of addressing these issues to ensure safer living environments and better community-police relations.

They were led by Police Minister General Bheki Cele and the top brass of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Targeted community engagements known as Izimbizo took place in the south of Johannesburg.

Mzansi weighs in

People throughout the country voiced their concerns over their safety and the fact that hostels are deemed to have dangerous people living there.

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Here are some of the reactions:

@Quantumleeping shared:

"It's time hostel dwellers start buying property in communities like everyone else."

@HughThamsanqa, stunned, said:

"Izinduna for hostels???????? Man c'mon."

@malatsik concerned:

"What about the Soweto communities? This is not fair when services are offered to certain tribes and leave others."

@MphoSbkZA advised:

"The moment you recognise unconstitutional bodies like this, you are going to have problems... You won't stop them from collecting rents from residents on buildings that the government should administer."

@Marupin82983629 commented:

"Hostels are the most dangerous places in South Africa."

Johannesburg man posts photo of his hostel room

In a related story, Briefly News reported on a man from Denver, Johannesburg, who recently shared a photo of his messy hostel room on Facebook.

The image was posted to a group where users gave feedback on their rooms and interior decor or designs.

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The Facebook group members criticised the man's messy room and suggested improvements.

Source: Briefly News