KwaThema women say they are scared to walk to the shops as kidnappings go unanswered
Residents of the Ekurhuleni township told eNCA that police have not intervened in the abduction of women, and that the fear runs through daylight as well as dark.
Women in KwaThema say they are no longer safe in their own township, and that the police have not come to their aid.
Speaking to eNCA in the Ekurhuleni community, residents said the fear follows them through the day and not only after dark. Mothers said they are frightened to send their children to the nearest shops. One resident said the danger is present in broad daylight as well as at night.
The women said the police have not intervened in the kidnapping of women in the area. They said they have tried to contact the authorities and that the community has been left to carry the burden itself.
Residents described one case in which the family of a woman was helped by community members rather than by the state, in an effort to bring her home safely.
At the gathering, most of those present were women. They said they are scared when it gets dark, and that they want the police to step in.
The residents directed their demand at the government as well as at the police, saying the state has failed the community on this issue and that it should focus on the kidnapping of women.
eNCA (YouTube) reported the residents’ account. The Enquirer has not independently verified the number of kidnappings in KwaThema or the police response to them. The South African Police Service has not responded publicly to the residents’ claims in the material available at the time of writing.
