For those not close to the situation, hearing about a vigilante group allegedly terrorising the community of Mamelodi in Pretoria sent shock waves.
Boko Haram is the name of the group that's been accused of holding residents at ransom. It's been linked to cases of extortion and other illegal dealings in the township.
The notorious Boko Haram that's known globally is the one in Nigeria, which was started in the early 2000s by the murdered terrorist Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf and is now under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau. Over the years, this militant Islamist group has been named in connection with many atrocities including the abduction of schoolchildren, rape, murder, and extortion.
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It's not clear when the South African version of the criminal mob began but it's what the community of Mamelodi have had to live with for a while. It's also been linked to violent crimes in the Western Cape, and Gugulethu in particular.
There are several cases in Mamelodi relating to Boko Haram that date back to 2018, according to the police. Residents have either complied and suffered in silence or withdrawn their cases as they feared intimidation.
But now there seems to be a glimmer of hope, as four alleged Boko Haram members have been arrested this month.
“A prosecutorial-led investigation is underway towards building a watertight case. The possibility of more arrests cannot be ruled out as police anticipate that more victims will come forward,” police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters said in a statement.
On 5 March, two suspects, a man and a woman who are both 37, appeared in the Mamelodi Magistrate Court on charges of theft, trespassing and fraud.
The two were arrested for the illegal collection of monies from tenants at Inkandla Hostel owned by the City of Tshwane. It is alleged that residents have been paying rent to them since 2017, which has been costing the municipality millions. They will appear in court again on 26 March.
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Boko Haram has apparently also targeted shop owners.
Two other suspects were arrested and appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate Court on 23 March on charges of robbery, contravening of the Security Act, and racketeering, after business people in and around Mamelodi alleged they were forced to pay monies to the suspects in exchange for some kind of protection for themselves and their businesses, the police said.
This case was postponed in court to 12 April 2021 for bail application.
The Acting Police Commissioner of Gauteng, Major General Tommy Mthombeni urges residents to work closely with the police towards disrupting and ending the Boko Haram reign of terror.
"We hope that those who were previously afraid are now encouraged to report their cases so that these criminals are apprehended and taken to task,” he says.
