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WATCH | Diepsloot residents demand military presence after cop's death

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Diepsloot residents staged a protest against foreign nationals on Thursday, after the death of a police officer.
Diepsloot residents staged a protest against foreign nationals on Thursday, after the death of a police officer.
Nomvelo Chalumbira

Residents of Diepsloot in Johannesburg took to the streets on Thursday to express their outrage after a police officer was shot and killed.

Residents alleged foreign nationals were responsible for his death and high crime rate in the area.

They shut down several parts of the suburb, burning tyres and other household items.

Detective Captain Oupa Matjie was allegedly shot and killed by a suspect he was chasing on January 17, 2020.

The public order police were on the scene and dispersed protesters who had barricaded the main routes in the area, including William Nicol Drive and the R551.

"We are striking today because they killed our police officer. The cop didn't do anything. The people who killed the policeman are foreign nationals," resident Theo Mangena told News24.

"Our plea to [Police] Minister Bheki Cele is to deploy the military and Tactical Response Unit," he said.

In a statement, provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mawela said the suspect allegedly involved in Matjie's murder was expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

"The arrest of the suspect, who allegedly shot and killed Captain Matjie, came after collaboration between the community and police," added Mawela.

He urged the public to allow the law to take its course.

"It is therefore important that the suspect's appearance in court be secured and that it should not be jeopardised in any manner so that the suspect faces the full might of the law," Mawela said.

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