By Doreen Mokgolo
- Gangsters are shooting people in public, even near the police station, with some killings caught on camera.
- Residents say they’re living in fear and want city officials to deploy metro police and crack down on drug abuse.
Reiger Park residents in Ekurhuleni have taken matters into their own hands by enforcing a 7pm curfew to stay safe from gun-wielding gang members.
This follows the cold-blooded killings of five people this month, including three teenagers who were gunned down while sitting outside a home smoking hubbly bubbly. A security camera captured the killer calmly walking up to the group, shooting, and fleeing the scene.
All the victims were shot in the head – the latest was a 28-year-old man killed on Tuesday. Paramedics from the Reiger Park Community Medics and EMS Chaplaincy declared him dead at the scene.
Councillor Izelle Senol said the community is being torn apart by fear.
“Just this month, five people were shot and killed, all with a single shot to the head. Even ambulances and e-hailing drivers are being targeted,” she said.
Senol said some of the shootings are happening right outside the police station. Residents who try to organise themselves are being threatened by gang members.
She is calling on the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Safety, Sizakele Masuku, to urgently deploy Ekurhuleni Metro Police (EMPD) officers to the area.
“We need police visibility during high-risk times, and we need to crack down on drugs and substance abuse before more lives are lost,” said Senol.
Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini acknowledged the rising violence and said officials are monitoring crime trends.
“We assess crime patterns across communities and allocate resources where they’re most needed,” said Dlamini.
In the meantime, residents say they’re locking themselves indoors after dark and watching over their loved ones, hoping they’re not next.
Pictured above: Deceased victims.
Image source: Supplied by the victim’s family
