THEY don’t joke around at Joko Tea squatter camp in Bophelong, Vaal.
Thugs don’t ever take chances in this area as they often get moered for stealing.
And now the squatter camp has turned its attention on people who cheat on their partners.
They are sjambokked if found cheating.
Community leader Velaphi Ngema said they were trying to bring order to the squatter camp and promote good morals.
“People who are caught cheating are given a few lashes to discipline them. We used to get a number of cases of men and women who wrecked other people’s homes,” said Velaphi.
“One day women in the community found a man sleeping with his neighbour’s wife and they decided both perpetrators should be disciplined.”
Residents said they were happy with the punishment.
“We don’t want this place to be called Sodom and Gomorrah,” said Velaphi.
Lydia Mphephu said she was once sjambokked after being found poking a married man.
“The man said he didn’t have a wife and I believed him. But his wife knocked on the door and she called other women, and we were both moered.”
Another community leader, Gugulethu Tshwane, said residents were not happy when cops failed to attend to their cases.
“Crime used to be high here but now it has gone down because we sjambok thugs ourselves.”
He said the sjambok had also helped tackle cases of domestic violence in the area.
