Mduduzi ka Harvey
CRACKS are starting to show in the fragile East Rand peace as tensions grow between Thokoza residents, self-defence unit members and the newly formed Reservist Unit because of allegations that some reservists are undisciplined, trigger happy, out of control and unaccountable to the police.
The unit, which was formed before the elections, works side-by-side with the police, monitoring and combating violence in the townships of Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus. It consists of 225 former members of ANC-aligned self-defence units and Inkatha Freedom Party-aligned self- protection units.
But residents feel some unit members, especially in the Lusaka A section, are less interested in crime prevention than in settling personal vendettas and grudges.
Slovo section SDU member, “UmAfrika”, explains: “A personal grudge between local resident Jabu Mamba and a reservist resulted in Jabu’s killing in November last year.”
This was not the only shooting incident residents claim involved reservists. Late last year, a Slovo section reservist shot and killed his girlfriend with a service pistol in an act of jealousy. The reservist handed himself and the pistol over to the police.
Thokoza station commander Captain Jan Huysamen confirmed the incidents. “There are three cases under investigation and the three people involved have been suspended.”
Tambo section resident Mandla Mthembu blamed the police for allowing reservists to carry service pistols off-duty. “One way of ending the killings is for the unit members to leave the guns at the police station when they knock-off,” he said. Other residents said carrying guns around the clock made unit members targets for criminal elements who wanted to steal their weaponry.
But other residents differ. “How can we call them our police if they don’t carry the guns? They have to carry them for their own safety,” said Victor Mkhize of Phola Park. Confirming that reservists carried service pistols around the clock, Huysamen said: “That decision is beyond my control. It was made by parliament.”
Another area of concern was the reckless use of pistols by reservists, Sipho Hlalele of Lusaka B section in Thokoza says reservists sometimes shoot their guns into the air in the presence of old people and children. Guns are loaned to friends who are not in the unit for personal use.
All the parties involved agree the four-week training period given to unit members is insufficient.
But, with the mounting concern, the police are now running additional three-month courses for reservists. “We will be training them from the beginning on everything,” said Hysamen.
Reservists see things differently from their critics in the area. At a meeting held this week in Thokoza to iron out problems, reservists denied they were out of control. “The problem is there are criminals who want things to go their way and when we combat their plans, they start criticising us,” said reservist Lucky Tsolo.
He said some parents, whose children had not been chosen for the unit, were jealous.