Residents of Dalton Hostel plan to take to the streets to protest against the Metro Police and its head, Eugene Nzama.
|||Durban - Residents of Dalton Hostel plan to take to the streets on Saturday to protest against the Metro Police and its head, Eugene Nzama.
The march follows a metro police raid on the hostel two weeks ago when R15 800 and goods were allegedly stolen by officers.
Dalton Hostel Development Committee chairman Steve Thusi told the Daily News they had applied to the eThekwini Municipality for permission to march on Saturday morning from Louis Botha Gardens to the City Hall, where they would hand over a memorandum.
The memorandum was not readily available, but Thusi said the march was about the Metro Police’s alleged abuse of power and procedural flaws in the May 3 raid.
Hostel dwellers are angry over the alleged theft of the money which was being kept in a locker for lobola negotiations, the alleged theft of food belonging to women living in the hostel, the confiscation of sorghum beer and maize, and the removal of beds.
They are also claim there was no search warrant for the raid, nor oversight from the SAPS.
“We want to make it clear again that we are not opposed to random searching from the police, but they must follow the proper procedures and not do as they please, stealing from the people here,” said Thusi.
“No weapons or drugs have been found here at Dalton Hostel. Why then must they confiscate the liquor and food of the people in their homes... why can the people not drink here, why should we provide proof of slips for rice and maize?” he asked.
Diza Ntanzi, secretary of the Dalton Hostel Development Committee, said officers had not worn police badges identifying them during the raid. The violation of the poor must stop, he said
Metro Police spokesman Senior Superintendent Eugene Msomi confirmed Nzama was at the raid and that no weapons or drugs were seized.
Meanwhile, Sibusiso Meyiwa, from whose locker the lobola money went missing, is pinning his hopes on SAPS to recover it.
SAPS provincial spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane said no arrests had been made and confirmed police were investigating a case of housebreaking.
Msomi failed to indicate if the metro police had a search warrant for the May 3 raid, and said allegations that some of the hostel dwellers were not present when their rooms were being searched were not true.
Meyiwa said R15 000 was stolen from his locker and about R800 worth of coins in a piggy bank under his bed, allegedly by the Metro Police.
He was out at the time of the raid but returned to find the money gone.
He shares the room with seven other men, one of whom was at the hostel during the raid, but who was showering at the time.
The man came back to the room from the showers and found the police there with the eight locked lockers opened.
Meyiwa had been given the money by his father to keep for the lobola negotiations of his younger brother, who was due to take it to Mariannhill this past weekend.
The lobola negotiations have been postponed until more money can be raised.
“This whole situation has been unfortunate. I have explained to both my brother and my father about the circumstances, and thankfully they understood.”
Msomi said hostel dwellers whose goods had been confiscated could make enquiries at the Umbilo SAPS.
sihle.mlambo@inl.co.za
Daily News