Thembelihle residents led by the Thembelihle Crisis Committee will be picketing opposite Lenasia Police Station against the undeclared, unofficial state of emergency experienced in the past few weeks in the area. The picket will be held on Saturday 4th April 2015 opposite the police station situated at 01 Duiker Street, Extension 2, Lenasia.

The siege from 25 February involved deployment of various heavily armed police units including, Johannesburg Metro Police Department, Tactical Response Team, Crime Intelligence Unit over and above the Public Order Policing Unit amongst others. During the clampdown, gross human rights violations have been experienced in the very same month marked for the celebration of human rights.

The community feels strongly that the SAPS should account for their transgressions and the picket will serve as a stepping stone towards a broader campaign to have those responsible brought to account for such unwarranted actions. Many lives have been lost during protest actions since 1994 and we are not prepared to wait to experience more of that before we act. The picket will be supported by the Right2Know Campaign, United Front and Democratic Left Front.
The siege will not stop the determination of Thembelihle residents to have the Gauteng MEC for Housing to come to our community and account as per his long-promised commitments.

Issued by Thembelihle Crisis Committee