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President Jacob Zuma

JOHANNESBURG. — Economic Freedom Fighters supporters accused ANC supporters of beating them up in Diepsloot yesterday.
Residents supporting the EFF stood outside the Diepsloot police station but were not allowed in.They complained about being shut out saying the police were supposed to provide a place of safety.

Residents refused to speak to the media. However, one EFF supporter said he planned to open a case with the police. Earlier, angry Diepsloot residents gathered outside the local police station protesting about the murder of two toddlers.

They demanded that police release to them a fifth man arrested earlier in the day so they could burn him. The bodies of 2-year-old Yonelisa Mali and her cousin Zandile Mali, 3, were found on Tuesday. They were reported missing at the weekend.

Four men are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Friday on charges of rape and murder. There was a heavy police presence in the area.

The ANC Youth League marched to the police station to hand over a memorandum.
“We raised a lot of grievances that we have as a community here in Diepsloot on issues of crime and drugs,” ANCYL national task team co-ordinator Mzwandile Masina said after handing over the memorandum.

“Now we want to work with the community to ensure there’s peace in the area. We want visible policing at all times.”
Residents supporting the ANC and those supporting Julius Malema’s EFF clashed in the streets.
EFF supporters in red berets sang songs mocking President Jacob Zuma.

“If you are a person who is voting for Zuma you are not to be trusted,” they sang in Sesotho.
Some residents ripped up ANC placards.

Others started banging on a car when they saw a person in an ANC T-shirt inside. Police intervened. —Sapa.