Living in a gangster’s paradise
Tshepo Mmusi
Klerksdorp, Jouberton Township
Date: 24 February 2021
In one of my previous alerts I wrote about crime activities taking a hike in the area of Klerksdorp as a result unemployment perpetuated by covid 19. The community of Klerksdorp is living in terror because of crime and violence which seems to be the order of the day especially in Jouberton. The way criminal activities have been normalised in our area, criminal syndicates roam our streets with pride and they are seem to be idolized and are becoming role models to many youngsters in our community. We have rival gangs who are believed to have captured Klerksdorp and are now fighting over territories and in the process they terrorise members of the community as a result innocent people become casualties. Groupings such as Bokoharam, Vietnam and Alchaida are at each other’s throats as the means for criminal activities are shrinking as the result of unemployment. These groups are also being used by local government officials for their own protection, to threaten and intimidate rival political parties and opposing groups.
To date the violence that has been looming over the days has took a toll on people’s lives and damage to property. The latest incident was on the 21st of February 2021 when rival gangs Alchaida and Bokoharam were in a car chase where it was reported that gun shots went off between them, and altimately that car chase ended in one of the houses in Extension 22, where the passengers of that vehicle ran off on foot and left it there. The car was left unattended in that household where an old granny and her grandson were sleeping when that car was set alight. That incident left them in serious fear of their lives.
Another incident that occurred earlier was of a local tenderpreneur who went missing for weeks and his bakkie was found torched in the outskirts of Jouberton, is one incident that could also be linked to gang terror in our area. The businessman body was recovered this week, and investigations are still underway.
