Daily Sun (November 5 2013) - AFTER the horror events of Sunday, many Khutsong residents have not shown any regret for what they did. If the law doesn't put criminals away, we will take care of them ourselves, they said. BY YESTERDAY SIX PEOPLE HAD ALREADY DIED AT THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY.
"What we did on Sunday is a sample of what the community is prepared to do," a 32-year-old resident told Daily Sun. He was prepared to admit that he was part of Sunday's rampage but not prepared to give his name. We have held meetings and we have agreed to end this gangsterism by punishing them ourselves."
He repeated the message that most of the residents from the kasi near Carletonville on Joburg's West Rand first announced in the People's Paper last week.
He said the members of gangs like the Vandals, the Casanovas and the Creatures have been raping and robbing, plundering property and assaulting residents but their days were numbered.
"Their activities must end immediately," said an angry resident.
"Otherwise cops must arrest the whole community because this is what we have all agreed on."
Another resident said: "If the police let them go because they are under-age, we will make sure they pay for their sins," he said.
"We will burn them with tyres as we did on Sunday. Those watching should simply quit and stop terrorising the community."
On Sunday about 700 people divided into groups and attacked, necklaced and set four people alight, including a sangoma, James Magagula (61), who allegedly gave them muthi.
Police spokesman Brigadier Neville Malila said six people died in Sunday's violence. He said the situation was under control, with high police visibility. While residents remained adamant, Simon Khumalo (57), spoke of the agony of seeing his son on fire. Simon is the father of Akhona Khumalo (24), who was burned to death.
Simon said he belongs to the Community Policing Forum and was among the angry residents hunting for gangs.
"While I was at the other side of the township, my older son phoned to say my son was being burnt," said the shattered man. "I have never seen a more terrible scene in my life. I am heartbroken," he said.
The mother of 23-year-old Mojalefa Maliho, who was also burned to death, Esther Maliho (49), said that her son was innocent.
"I was in church when my daughter phoned to tell me my son had been set alight," she said. "I rushed home to find him lying dead with smoke coming from his body." She said her son spent 18 months in jail for robbery and was released on parole earlier this year but he never belonged to a gang.
Makume Makume, age unknown, from Khutsong South, is also one of the victims.
No arrests have been made.
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