Mohlakeng, West Rand – Residents of Mohlakeng on Gauteng’s West Rand took to the streets early on Tuesday, blocking major roads with burning tyres in a strong show of dissatisfaction with police services and the handling of rising crime in the area.
The protest, which began around 4am to 5am, saw community members from various sections of the township—including Finsbury, Toekomsrus, the Mohlakeng hostel, and other parts of Mohlakeng—gather and shut down roads. Burning tyres continued to smoulder as the group prepared to march to the Randfontein police station to submit a memorandum outlining their grievances.
Community activist D, speaking on behalf of the gathered residents, described how frustration had built up due to an increase in serious crimes. These include activities linked to Zama zamas (illegal miners), card fraud involving home invasions where victims are hijacked and forced to hand over banking app details, assassinations and shootings inside people’s homes, and open drug dealing from cars in the community.
“We’ve been reporting these issues, but there has not been any change,” the activist said. He noted that initial community efforts to organise their own patrollers to assist with safety had not been adequately supported by police, despite early positive bilateral communications.
A key complaint centred on the severe shortage of visible policing. Residents pointed out that in the region, covering sectors one to four and approximately 10 communities, a single police vehicle is often expected to service multiple townships at once. This, they argued, has directly contributed to unchecked criminal activity, including robbery, housebreaking, and petty crimes.
The activist highlighted that despite recent heavy deployments by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in the area—particularly around the Sporong informal settlement to address illegal mining—the focus had remained narrow. “The SANDF deployment to Sporong apparently seems like it was only concentrated on illegal miners,” he said, adding that there had been little visible impact on drug dealing or broader community crime. Cases reported to police are frequently not followed through, he claimed.
Concerns were also raised about alleged involvement of state vehicles with individuals selling drugs, further eroding trust in law enforcement.
The protest drew a broad cross-section of the community, including elderly citizens, young people at the forefront, and school-going children, all expressing how crime has affected daily life in Mohlakeng.
As the demonstration continued into the morning, the group was set to proceed from their meeting point to the Randfontein police station to formally present their demands. These include improved visible policing, better resource allocation for the multiple townships served by limited vehicles, effective follow-up on reported cases, and a more balanced approach to law enforcement that addresses not only illegal mining but also drugs, fraud, and violent crime in residential areas.
The situation remains ongoing, with traffic disruptions reported in and around the township as residents demand urgent action from police and relevant authorities to restore safety and confidence in law enforcement services.