- Residents say Atteridgeville SAPS has failed to respond to years of complaints about crime, extortion, and a criminal group known as Boko Haram.
- Community members describe unresolved cases, slow police response, and stark inequality compared with wealthier areas.
- A march on 15 December will deliver a new memorandum demanding investigations, leadership changes, and accountability, with legal action planned if ignored.
When it is said that two hands are better than one, the Atteridgeville residents understood the sentiment clearly.
In mid-May 2025, they came together, forming a coalition to fight for the rights and safety of their residents. After countless attempts to communicate with the Atteridgeville SAPS and to hand over memorandums outlining their grievances, every effort fell flat.
The group says the lack of a meaningful response from the police has pushed them to act. Their upcoming march, on 15 December 2025 at 9 am, is intended to submit yet another memorandum, mirroring complaints that have been raised repeatedly by community structures over the years.
One of the organisers, Emmanuel Ramookong, voiced his frustration: “When we reach out to the Atteridgeville SAPS, we are told that they do not have resources, such as transport and manpower, to help us. Their response time is lacking, and they fail the residents.” Residents at recent meetings echoed this sentiment, saying they continue to live under a shadow of fear.
Crime, trauma, and the toll of failed investigations
Attendees at a recent meeting claim that a criminal group, known locally as Boko Haram, continues to operate in the area, threatening commuters, extorting residents, and intimidating business owners. Households are allegedly forced to pay a R20 protection fee to avoid harassment or violence, while small business owners report even higher extortion amounts under threat of assault or confiscation of goods.
A former Community Police Forum member said that residents have been raising these issues for more than a decade. “Since 2011, we have been handing over memorandums to the police, and we have not seen the change we were promised. When I was part of the CPF, if there were marches planned for the rights of Pheli people, we were made to choose who we stood with, and who we were against.”
For many families, the pain runs deep. The secretary of the Concerned Members, Tshehofatso Kgatuke, said unresolved cases leave lifelong emotional wounds. “When serious crimes continue without consequences, it undermines the community’s constitutional rights to safety, security, and life. Residents are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for the basic protection that the Constitution guarantees them.”
She added that the personal toll is devastating. “Families live with constant trauma, unanswered questions, and the painful feeling that their loved ones’ lives did not matter. The lack of closure affects their mental health, dignity, and even daily functioning. Parents cannot heal, children grow up fearful, and the whole community carries a heavy emotional burden. Justice delayed is not only justice denied; it is healing denied.”
Inequality in policing and rising calls for accountability
Kgatuke also raised concerns about inequality in police responsiveness. “In wealthy areas, police respond quickly, investigations move quickly, and there is better police visibility. In Atteridgeville, by contrast, families often struggle to get updates on their cases. Some cases never reach court, nor are they registered. Inequality is felt daily, and it shows whose pain is overlooked.”
The Atteridgeville SAPS memorandum will call for several reforms, including proper investigations, new management, a dedicated team of detectives and CIDs, better communication with families, sustained police visibility, and leadership that remains accountable.
Kgatuke said the community is prepared to escalate. “What makes this time different is that if our memorandum and petition are ignored, and no action is taken, we will take a different route. We are prepared to open a case against our local station for failing to provide the safety and security that it is obligated to ensure, our fundamental right to safety and protection.”
She ended with a powerful message: “All civic organisations and everyone else are coming together to say that enough is enough. This should be the endpoint and the start of a new chapter of lasting safety and security.”
The march will begin in Saulville, at the corner of Vergenoeg Street and Maunde Street, proceed along Maunde Street, turn into Hlahla Street, and conclude at the Atteridgeville Police Station, where the memorandum will be handed over. Transportation will be provided at designated pick-up points, to ensure residents can participate.
A statement regarding the march, posted on social media, read: “We are organising a peaceful ‘Atteridgeville and Saulsville Shutdown’ march to the Atteridgeville Police Station on 15 December 2025 at 09h00, protesting the lack of arrests and police response after recent violent incidents, including a mass shooting that left 12 dead (among them a 3 year old, 6 year old, and 16 year old) and a rise of 111 percent in murder cases during the COVID-19 lockdown, demanding justice and accountability.”
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