RESIDENTS in West Village, Krugersdorp are living under a self-imposed dusk-to-dawn curfew.
“This is to avoid the zama zamas,” said Queeneth Ngope, who was one of the many people who picketed outside the Krugersdorp Magistrates Court on Monday, 1 August.
More than 80 suspects, mostly alleged zama zamas, appeared for various crimes in court.
She told Daily Sun: “By 6pm you must be in your house otherwise you will find them in the street, and you will be raped.
“If they find you going with your husband, they will rape you and your husband.”
She said it was hard to report crime incidents because the zama zamas have snitches in the community.
She said they have been looking for help, but without success.
“The police know about these things. We understand the police officers may not have more resources than the zama zamas.”
She said the zama zamas have big guns.
“Some are so big. You don’t know where they get them,” she said.
“We told the police if they can’t deal with the zama zamas, they must ask the army to help them.”
Reacting to the rape of eight women who were part of a film crew shooting a music video, Grace Ncube (54) said: “What happened in West Village was painful. I have two daughters.
“It hurts me when I think how young my kids are. Imagining a child of 19 years old being raped by a grown man is very sad,” said Grace.
“Some of those girls said they have had their virginity taken away.”
She said they were pleading with the police and the government to hep them.
“On Thursday, zama zamas were just walking around. It is as if illegal mining is legal for them.”
Inside the court, the 80 suspects appeared in batches.
The majority of them are charged with being in the country illegally.
They are from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho.
Their cases were postponed to Wednesday, 3 August for the purposes of an ID parade and confirmation of legal aid.
