Crime and neglect under the spotlight after police attacked in Hillbrow
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Image: Elvis Ntombela
Crime and hijacked buildings have come under the spotlight and are dominating conversations on Twitter following the attack on police officials who were carrying out raids and confiscating counterfeit goods in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, on Sunday.
Gauteng SAPS spokesperson Brig Mathapelo Peters told TimesLIVE that no arrests had been made in connection with the attacks, which saw four police vehicles damaged, or for the selling of counterfeit goods.
This is despite Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela promising that the police would ensure that "such lawlessness will not go unpunished".
Using the hashtag #Hillbrow, South Africans are lamenting the scourge of crime in the city centre - and calling on the authorities to do more.
Here is a glimpse of the comments shared on the platform
#Hillbrow
— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) June 10, 2019
The Hillbrow situation has been left unattended for decades!
We can talk about Human Rights till Kingdom comes but lawlessness can’t be condoned!
SAPS & Tactical Units should pounce during the early hours of the morning & do it properly!
This suburb was once a top residential area. One of the cleanest where South Africans could only dream of staying.. Today, it's an unrecognisable slum. It makes you wonder if all our residential areas will one day end up like this. We need urgent &firm intervention#Hillbrow #Jhb pic.twitter.com/fEPXbRqIzY
— Thobeka-Rare Magcai (@Thobeka_Rare) June 10, 2019
those hijacked buildings in #hillbrow can be taken back & given to developers for students res & hire local security companies ,that alone would create jobs for south Africans.
— khomotso (@LifesRoses1) June 11, 2019
The crime scene called #Hillbrow is a result of police officers taking bribes and act as if nothing is happening there. A friend of mine was kidnapped by Nigerians in JHB CBD and raped for a whole week. Her story was so painful that she killed herself cause no one believes her
— Duke Valentino (@SirDavid_Dashe) June 11, 2019
We in this mess al because of the #ANC incompetence. To all those who voted the ANC after 2009 I humbly refer you to section 7 B of the Euphonic Act of 2016 "Msunuyeni nonke" #Hillbrow
— Magasela (@nkosimngadi07) June 11, 2019
Matter of fact, the Saps needs alot reshuffling and an intense application process. They are the enhancers of fraud though im pretty sure their job description says the contrary. #hillbrow #SAPS
— CrushYaBhut'Wakho💎 (@Aneh_06) June 11, 2019
Crime in places such as #Hillbrow is not a result of African migration but rather a result of a governance deficit that someone was eventually going to exploit, be it foreign or local. But it is convenient to believe otherwise
— Ryan Cummings (@Pol_Sec_Analyst) June 10, 2019
What these Nigerian nationals did in Hillbrow to our police officers is a direct insult to our country & now they must be ready to deal with the results of their actions without crying xenophobic. South Africa has become heaven to these drug dealers & rapist criminals #Hillbrow
— Mbawula☇🔥 (@Mbawula_Kasgo) June 11, 2019
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