Cops step out for street murders

East London police have launched operation “walk-and-talk” in response to a string of murders in the city centre.

Last week police officers collected information of those living on the streets and in the process confiscated 22 knives.

East London police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said a number of homeless people were interviewed with the aim of helping them to return to their homes.

“We are working on this to get to know who are these people sleeping on East London streets.

“Also we want to check how many they are and the reasons why the end up on the streets.

“It’s not an easy process but we are planning on engaging other government arms like social development,” said Mqala. The walk-and-talk campaign was held a few days after five people were attacked within a short period of time.

Just one person survived.

Since the beginning of this year, seven homeless people have been killed in East London CBD.

This month alone, four people were found murdered.

Last month, a man was found dead in Quigney’s Currie street and in June the body of a homeless man was found in Drury Lane. Police have  arrested a suspect in that case.

Earlier this year another man was attacked in Albert Street and later died in hospital.

Following the attacks Dispatch readers called for homeless shelters and CCTV cameras  to be installed in the CBD.

Police officials who spoke to Dispatch earlier this month said they believed a serial killer was at work but officially police have ruled that out.

Michelle Kerr, chairwoman of Wings shelter,  said homeless people did not get much sleep at night for fear of being robbed, or becoming easy prey for gangs and criminals who attacked them while they slept.

She said BCM was the only metro that had no shelter for homeless people.

“Police are working around the clock on these cases and we are calling for public assistance,” said Mqala.