Killing of six people leave residents in perpetual fear
The killing of six people in separate incidents in Boksburg's informal settlements over the weekend has left resident of the affected areas on the edge.
With the highest murder rate in Boksburg, Angelo informal settlement has become an extremely dangerous place to live in. This is according to residents who live in fear.
A 29-year-old man, identified as Ramufhi, was stabbed to death during the early hours of Saturday, December 3.
Another resident of the area died in hospital shortly after he was assaulted and burnt near the Angelo railway station, on December 3.
Two other residents of Angelo informal settlement were fatally shot in the area on Sunday morning (December 4)
They were both found inside a yard lying on the ground with gunshot wounds.
The fifth person was shot dead in the nearby informal settlement called Kanna, on Sunday morning, December 4.
The 31-year-old was found lying in a pool of blood with multiple gunshot wounds to his head.
The sixth person was killed in Jerusalem informal settlement on Friday night, December 2. The man, known as Sekoro, died after he was apparently hit with a hammer.
His alleged killer was arrested at the scene.
The motives for all these killings remain unknown, but police have registered murder cases.
Residents of Angelo informal settlement say they have endured years of torment at the hands of armed criminals who rule the streets.
The unabated continuous killings and lack of security in the area keep them in a state of perpetual fear – and called on authorities in the city to put an end to the senseless bloodletting.
At least two people are violently killed in the informal settlements almost every week.
The fatal attacks in the informal settlements are blamed on the influx of undocumented immigrants, along with illegal mining, corrupt community leaders and inadequate policing.
Boksburg SAPS spokesperson, Sgt Cebisa Maseko said the police in Boksburg are worried about the upsurge in violence in the informal settlements.
“We are busy setting up an anti-crime strategy that will be used to deal with the killings, which appears to remain a significant feature of the community.”
