Johannesburg - The situation between the Eldorado Park police and the community remains tense in the area after yet another alleged police brutality incident claimed the life of a 37-year-old male on Sunday.
Since then, community members, including Patriotic Alliance’s Juwairiya Kaldine, have staged peaceful protests outside the Eldorado Park police station, with Kaldine being slapped with charges of inciting public violence.
On Tuesday, the councillor handed herself over to the police in the company of her legal representative and some members of the community.
This comes after a member of the community, Oswald Pretorius, was shot dead allegedly by members of the Special Task Force on Sunday afternoon.
It is alleged that the 37-year-old was cornered by the police and, in spite of surrendering himself, was still shot dead at close range.
Members of the community allege that Pretorius was one of the witnesses to a murder case involving another member of the community who enjoys police support.
Pretorius' death comes four years after the killing of Nathaniel Jantjies, who was killed by members of the police in the area.
While getting ready to hand herself over to the police, the ward councillor urged members of the community to remain calm and ensure that their protest against increasing police brutality is peaceful, to avoid another confrontation with the police, who allegedly opened fire with rubber bullets on a peaceful protest by the community on Monday.
Since the incident on Sunday, members of the community have been camping outside the police station, demanding answers for the shooting of Pretorius, who sadly lost his life on Sunday.
‘’I am now handing myself over to the police. I urge you to protest peacefully, to avoid being accused of inciting public violence. Our protest last night was peaceful, but we're being accused of violence. They are the ones who shot us with rubber bullets while our gathering was peaceful. They are switching their stories up, and the police are the biggest manipulators who continue to victimise our people,’’ the councillor said.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Chris Pretorius accused the police of also charging her with inciting violence.
‘’They are trying to arrest other councillors as well. This is pure madness. My cousin was killed in cold blood by the people who are supposed to protect us as members of the community. The police here do not care for us and are quick to arrest us when they are the ones who killed my cousin Oswald Pretorius, who had surrendered himself to the police and was not posing a threat to them. They took him out, and now they want to arrest us,’’ she said.
Inside the police station, members of the community, mostly from the Patriotic Alliance, refused to be bullied by the police and called for the release of the councillor, as there was no case for her to answer to.
On Monday, Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie said he received numerous calls about the arrest of councillor Kaldine for inciting violence.
‘’Our stance is very clear: we support the actions of our councillor. The community of Eldorado Park has been suffering under the corrupt police at Eldorado Park police station.’’
‘’A member has been shot dead by the police; not long ago, we buried our hero Nathaniel; we are tired and will write to the Minister to bring competent police that can serve the community in harmony,’’ McKenzie said in a social media statement.
The Star