THEY barricaded their gate, verandah, windows and doors with all sorts of scraps. And their house now looks like a squatter camp.
But the family from Benoni, Ekurhuleni is just trying to protect itself against violent taxi drivers.
They said Benoni taxi drivers have been raiding their house every day since the start of this month for suspected drugs.
The family said a few days ago, a group of taxi drivers stormed into their house with pangas, knobkerries, guns, sjamboks, and other dangerous weapons.
They allegedly moered the family members and tenants, and even killed the family pit bull.
“We have to secure our safety by barricading our property,” said Tyrone Naidu.
But the family is helpless as their plan is not working. The taxi drivers are now entering through the roof using a ladder.
“We are not selling drugs as they think,” said Tyrone’s mum, who didn’t want to be named for her safety.
“I’m an old woman, but I was also beaten,” she said, showing the SunTeam her injured finger.
Tyrone showed the SunTeam the windows that were smashed.
“They mistook this prayer ash for drugs. They are on our case, yet they found nothing,” said the man.
A tenant who did not want to be named said he was sjambokked for living in the yard.
“It’s terrible. I have lived in Benoni for 30 years and never experienced anything like this,” he said.
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But the Benoni Taxi Association said this was part of their crime and drug cleaning campaign.
However, the association said it doesn’t condone violence.
Captain Nomsa Sekele said Benoni police don’t allow taxi drivers to take the law into their own hands.
