‘I fear that those killers have come to kill me too’ - night patroller

‘EVERY time a rat passes by inside my shack, I fear that those killers have come to kill me too”

- SIMON MAJADIBODU

These are words of one of the night patrollers at the Marry Me Informal Settlement in Soshanguve, expressing fear for his life after five colleagues were murdered.

The father of two added that ever since the killings, he has been strug- gling to sleep and lives in fear.

“T have never slept well at... After the brutal death of my colleagues, waking up with red and swollen eyes, and constantly thinking about them?, *Samuel Mathibela said.

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the area on Sunday to extend his condolences to the victims’ families. He also confirmed that the number of deaths had risen from four to five.

Police said preliminary investiga- tions indicate that a deadly alterca- tion between patrollers and a group in Soshanguve left four people shot and burned on Saturday, with eight others hospitalised.

Lesufi revealed that the murders are suspected to be linked to extortion, where residents pay R50 patrollers for safety, another R50 for water, and R350 for electricity, with a kingpin believed to be in jail.

Speaking with IOL News, Mathibela said they were 15 in number when they started to volunteer to ensure safety in the area.