Blikkiesdorp residents say a plan to rid their community of skelms and skollies has worked and calm has been restored.
Over the last two weeks the notorious temporary relocation area in Delft has been rocked by vigilante attacks on members of the Young Gifted Bastards gang after a skollie allegedly invaded a woman’s home and raped her in front of her child.
According to police, there was one murder of an unidentified male and three attempted murders of men aged between 14, 32 and 33 years old.
On Sunday, 26 August, several hokkies in the P-section were also petrol bombed by vigilantes.
But according to a woman, police provided no help while the homes of innocent people went up in flames.
“People came and beat up the one guy and killed him. We don’t know why; they just come into your place and claim they are here for stolen goods, but they (the vigilantes) come and steal our stuff,” the woman claims.
“According to them they are going after gangsters, but my children are not gangsters.”
But another 55-year-old mom, who asked not to be named, says the hokkies were a gang stronghold.
“The houses that the vigilantes bombed are not that of innocent people, that is the stronghold for the Gifteds.
“Juicy, their leader, is in jail and they attack people going to work every day.
“Some of the black people got gatvol because people go to work and they just invade your hokkie and take what they want.
“We are so happy they are gone and now that we have Law Enforcement here we feel free again.”
Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, joined Law Enforcement officers on a patrol on Saturday morning where he said more officers will be deployed to the area for the next two weeks.
Officers found several vacant plots, apparently left by skollies who have fled the area.
Smith said he’s also arranged for a ‘social preparation programme’ in Blikkiesdorp to help build leadership skills and social cohesion.