Communities along Main Reef Road in Boksburg are living in growing terror as brutal killings, suspected illegal mining syndicates and heavily armed criminal groups continue to tighten their grip on informal settlements.

Residents, in the meantime, have accused authorities of failing to restore law and order.
The latest incident, an execution-style murder of a man and woman in a veld near the Comet and Angelo informal settlements, has intensified fears among residents who say they are trapped in a community ruled by fear, silence and violence.

Residents found the bodies lying in the veld on April 29 in what many believe is associated with organised crime executions rather than ordinary criminal violence.

Boksburg SAPS confirmed police were called to the scene shortly before 10:00, where officers found the bodies of the deceased lying on the ground after being alerted by members of the community.

The male victim was discovered lying face-up in a pool of blood, his hands tied behind his back with wire. It’s believed that he may have been abducted, tortured and executed.

His body was covered in bruises and the victim sustained gunshot wounds behind and in the left ear.

He was dressed in a green Lacoste T-shirt, blue jeans and torn black-and-white socks. Police also noted a tattoo reading ‘sefasia entehat’ on his left arm.
Nearby lay the body of the female victim, dressed in blue jeans with a black belt and a black T-shirt.

She, too had bruises on her body and hands, with gunshot wounds next to her right eye and at the back of her head. Multiple spent cartridges were scattered around the crime scene.
The pair were declared dead at the scene before their bodies were transported to the Germiston State Mortuary for further investigation.

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A resident, who spoke to the Boksburg Advertiser on condition of anonymity out of fear for personal safety, said information circulating in the community suggests the male victim may have been abducted before being taken to the veld to be killed.

According to the resident, someone allegedly informed a woman believed to be related to the victim about the planned murder. In a desperate attempt to save his life, she reportedly rushed to the scene to plead with the gunmen. Instead, she was also killed.
“She probably became a witness they could not leave alive,” said the resident.

No arrests have been made.
Anyone with information regarding the latest double murder is urged to contact the investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Vernon Booysen, on 083 593 6983, 082 575 1740 or 010 497 0099.

Residents lose trust as killings mount
For residents already traumatised by ongoing violence in the area, the murders were yet another reminder that killers continue to operate freely while communities remain defenceless.

The double murder is only the latest in a deadly pattern of violence that residents say has become normalised in the Angelo informal settlement and surrounding areas.

On March 13, another man died in Angelo informal settlement after being shot eight times.
In another shocking incident, businessman Zelalem Desta Abera was ambushed and murdered outside his supermarket and tavern near the Angelo Hotel on Main Reef Road after closing for the night. He was reportedly shot six times.

Despite multiple murders and repeated incidents of gun violence, police have yet to make arrests in any of the cases – fuelling widespread frustration and growing distrust among residents who believe authorities have lost control of the area.

Communities under siege
Residents describe a community effectively held hostage by heavily armed groups linked to illegal mining operations in abandoned mines surrounding the settlements.

“We are living in fear every single day,” said one resident.
“The police have left us at the mercy of these armed men who control everything here. They walk around carrying firearms openly and nobody dares challenge them.”

Residents say the violence is only one part of a much deeper crisis engulfing the community.
Illegal underground mining beneath residential areas has reportedly destabilised the ground beneath homes, creating dangerous sinkholes and leaving shacks on the verge of collapse. Residents fear children could fall into the massive open holes left behind by illegal miners.

“Some roads have already become inaccessible due to the hole, making it difficult for firefighters and police vehicles to enter certain parts of the settlement during emergencies,” another resident said.

Too terrified to speak out
Community members also claim fear has become so entrenched that many residents are too terrified to cooperate with police investigations.

According to residents, armed criminal groups have allegedly established parallel systems of control within the settlement – collecting protection fees from businesses, enforcing their own rules and violently punishing those who resist.

“These people act like they are above the law,” said the resident.
“They run their own courts, assault people, issue punishments and threaten anyone who refuses to obey them. People are too scared to even be seen speaking to police.”

Even the police have acknowledged that during community Imbizos in the area, residents told them that they fear retaliation even simply for being seen interacting with officers.

Police insist action is being taken
Boksburg SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Ntsako Ledwaba rejected claims that police are doing nothing, stating that law enforcement agencies regularly conduct joint operations targeting illegal mining activities in the area.

“We regularly do analyses of the crime trends in all the areas within our precinct and implement strategies based on the outcome of the reports,” said Ledwaba.

Residents, however, insist the operations have done little to dismantle the criminal networks terrorising the area, saying the criminals are still there terrorising the community, and innocent people are dying.

The police conceded that illegal mining and gun violence, believed to involve heavily armed Lesotho nationals, remain a persistent challenge in the area and across the province.
“All reported cases in our area are acted upon and detectives are assigned to carry out investigations.”

Residents urged to break silence over killings
“We urge members of the community to work with us by sharing any information that can help us to solve these cases.

“During our community meetings, we always advise residents that they can alternatively anonymously share information with Boksburg SAPS management by phoning the station commander on 082 461 3443, the Vispol commander on 082 461 3826 or the detective branch commander on 082 568 4675.

Anonymous tip-offs can also be reported to Boksburg SAPS on 010 497 9900 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

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