Angelo informal settlement residents in Boksburg, where a gas leak resulted in the death of seventeen people, assert that crime has rendered their lives unbearable. As a result, they have declared their own “state of emergency”. Additionally, due to the police’s adherence to a dusk-to-dawn shutdown, one family alleges that they had to spend the night with a deceased relative.

By Gugulethu Masilela

Residents of the Angelo Informal Settlement in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, where seventeen people perished due to a nitrate oxide gas leak last month, have now taken the law into their own hands.

According to this community, they are actively fighting against crime caused by the Zama-zamas who engage in illegal mining in their area. They say that this trade is often associated with various crimes, especially murder. To address the problem, the community has decided to implement a curfew starting from 6 pm and lasting until the early morning hours of the following day.

During the designated hours, individuals refrain from going outside. The curfew is not actively enforced but rather adhered to due to concerns for personal safety.

The community, still in shock and grief, appears to be fully supportive of the crackdown. The area is reportedly plagued by rampant crime, with the constant sound of gunshots echoing throughout the night.

Residents say it has become unsafe to be outside after 6 pm due to the high levels of crime. They assert that even the police are afraid to enter this area during that time. However, Brigadier Brenda Muridili, the spokesperson for the Gauteng police, has dismissed these claims.

“The South African Police don’t have any no-go area anywhere in South Africa,” said Muridili who refused to be drawn into discussing the alleged high crime levels in the area.

Margaret Kwinana, a 60-year-old resident, informed The Telegram that her family had to stay with the body of a deceased relative from 7 pm to 8 am because the police were either unavailable or unwilling to respond to the area after 6 pm.

“Crime here is so rife that no one ever ventures outside after 6 pm, not even the police. Murders are commonplace around those times. You would be lucky to make it home if you are out on the streets around those times,” explained Kwinana.

Another resident, Bongane Nyembe (50), attributed the criminal activities in the area, particularly after the gas leak, to the Zama-zamas.

“The people who were involved in the gas leak are the ones feared in this community. They do whatever they want, and no one will complain,” Nyembe charged.

He stated that the residents are subjected to the whims of merciless criminals: “The Angelo community fears for their lives and has begged the authorities to intervene to no avail. Every week, someone dies,” Nyembe claimed.

Thabisile Thabethe (45), the owner of a local spaza shop, expressed a similar viewpoint.

“I was robbed of everything in my shop including the money I saved for my granddaughter’s studies. It was early in the morning and people turned a blind eye minding their own business. Women are raped and no one says anything or tries to help because if you do, you would be murdered. In this neighbourhood minding your own business could save your life,” she said.

Thabethe went on to say that even if they reported any illegal actions to the police, they are often ignored.

“Police would only show up to collect bribes. If you are lucky that they respond to your call, they would show up the next day. All we want as the community is efficient policing,” Thabethe explained.