It is disheartening that the only time murder and rape matters in this country, is when many are raped or killed at the same time, or a prominent person is the victim.

The community of West Village in Krugersdorp, has been raising issues of crime with the Krugersdorp police station on a daily basis.

All the police has been doing is to record and collect bodies of those killed, and continue with their daily lives, which includes being seen in the company of suspicious elements that are said to be terrorising communities. On  the West Rand there are no-go areas, and the local police and the province are aware of this. But because it is black people who are being raped or killed, nothing is being done.The number of women raped on the West Rand is terrifyingly high.

Police minister Bheki Cele in his Louis le Grange hat, is always coming to crime scenes to give poor blacks the false hope that the government cares about them.  Why does the government allow unknown people to live in this country who operate with so much impunity that we are left sterile as communities in our own land?

Why does Cele hold the view that black people are lying when they say police are colluding with criminal elements in killing and raping our people? In politics, failure to act may be a strategy. The government may be showing no will to act with the intention to later be seen as hope and refuge when they decide to act.

The lawlessness that is being created may be a strategy employed by warring factions within the ruling party to discredit each other. This happens in total disregard of black lives in the era of #BlackLivesMatter.

Minister Cele, your hats are seen as stylish by some, but to many of us your style is a reminder of the dark brutal days of apartheid. Apart from Le Grange, former apartheid police minister, your hats are also associated with the likes of PW Botha and Nico Malan.

Judging by the fear under which black people live today, maybe the ANC government is a new variant of the apartheid virus.

Mr President, black lives matter. Act now and save the poor blacks from lawlessness as we cannot afford private security to guard us.

Sebongile Galekhutle, by email