Police minister Bheki Cele has taken the war to Mamelodi’s so-called “Number 1 Tsotsi”, with the deployment of a team of 100 specially trained officers in the area.
“This special team will be dealing with rapists, extortion, theft, robbery and assaults around Mamelodi,” said Cele.
He made the remarks during the launch of the team at a public gathering at the International Assemblies of God church last week Friday.
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At the launch, Cele asked locals to come forward with any incriminating information about the so-called “Number 1 Tsotsi of Mamelodi”, Vusi Khekhe Mathibela.
Locals have accused Mathibela of being a local crime kingpin and mastermind in the area.
Cele has also been accused of being friends with Mathibela, an allegation the minister denied at the launch.
In an interview on Power FM on Tuesday morning, Mathibela denied allegations that he was the “crime baron” of Mamelodi.
Instead, he described himself as a “prominent businessman” who has “nothing to do with these allegations by the residents”.
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Mathibela said allegations started getting “out of hand” late last year. So he visited Mamelodi East police station in an attempt to prevent his name from being further tarnished.
“People are using my name to collect money from local businessmen.”
Some residents, however, were adamant he was responsible for much of the crime in Mamelodi.
Cele told local businessmen to stop giving criminals money, and for taxi associations to stop paying an alleged R200 protection fee to Mathibela.
“Instead report the criminals to the police,” said Cele. “We will deal with them.”
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Cele said the new special team will not rest until Mamelodi became “a crime-free zone”.
“Mamelodi used to be a peaceful place but residents are complaining about one person and his gang who are terrorising the community,” Cele said previously.
“If we must die fighting crime in Mamelodi, we must die. No one is above the law,” said Cele.
“We won’t rest until Mamelodi is normal,” he said.
Rekord’s attempts to get in contact with Mathibela has been unsuccessful.
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