Tangeni Amupadhi
Members of a vigilante group in Alexandra township have vowed to continue fighting crime despite the killing of two of their members by alleged criminals in one year.
Petrus Mathibela (30) was shot dead on Sunday when he and 100 other Comrades – the name the vigilante group uses – tried to raid a house belonging to suspected car hijackers.
A man who identified himself only as Philemon was shot four times in one of his legs. Philemon says Mathibela’s death and his injury makes the Comrades more determined to root out crime.
“We can’t stop,” says Philemon. “We have to continue. If we stop, people will live in fear of criminals. So every time when we go to the criminals we expect death.”
The Comrades are members of the community who meet occasionally to map out ways of combating crime in Alexandra, north of Johannesburg.
Residents say its activities are co-ordinated by African National Congress councillor Peter Makgoba, of Ward 24.
Makgoba says he organises only events “within the law”, although he admits “individuals” make swoops upon the homes of suspected criminals. He adds he was not aware of the raid on the suspected car hijackers this week.
The incident took place in the early hours of Sunday morning after the Comrades “arrested” a man for possession of a stolen handgun. They made the suspect point out fellow gang members.
When they approached a house on 17th Avenue, its occupants opened fire on them, hitting Mathibela in the abdomen, back and twice in the stomach. Six other Comrades were wounded and two were admitted to hospital.
Police called to the scene found five pistols in the house. They have charged its 20 occupants with murder.
The Comrades said this week they will step up patrols and continue to search people for illegal firearms. “The police can’t do anything, they are struggling,” says Philemon. He is convinced the Comrades’ way is the best.
Alexandra police say they have warned the public on numerous occasions not to take the law into their own hands. Captain Johnson Biyela believes the group is genuinely fighting crime.
“They have handed over suspects on a number of occasions, but sometimes they don’t. I think they take them, beat them, then the case ends there,” says Biyela.
Shadrack Mohlala, one of the Comrades, says they often have to force suspects to co-operate. “When we get a criminal we ask him to show us other criminals. Usually they show us after hitting them with our hands. We don’t use weapons.”
Comrades wait until dark before pouncing because, says Philemon, “if we go during the day the criminals will spot us easily and kill us”.
Before the raid members of the community are called to join the march to the suspects’ house. “When we get to the house we search it for illegal firearms and other stolen goods,” says Mohlala. “If the door is locked, we break it down. And then if we don’t find anything, we start to hit again until we are showed where others are.”
Residents believe the latest mission failed because the crowd was too large and alerted the suspects. Makgoba describes the incident as a catastrophe.
“Some individuals organise these kind of activities, but it is not really frequent. The last one did not involve the community, that is why it had such catastrophic consequences. There was recklessness, ignorance and generally poor organisation,” he says.
Makgoba stresses, however, he has never organised marches to suspects’ homes, and police are always involved in his crime-fighting activities.
Mathibela’s widow and relatives feel his death was not worth it. “We grew up with crime, it will never stop. How can you disarm criminals with stones?” asks his younger brother.
But the wounded Philemon says the Comrades are making an impact – there has been no hijacking for three days, he says. Usually up to three cars are hijacked every day in Alexandra.