By Rapula Moatshe 
Aug 5, 2021
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Pretoria – The DA in Gauteng has called for the MEC for Community Safety Faith Mazibuko to urgently put measures in place to curb the violence and criminality allegedly perpetrated by the “Boko Haram” gang in Tshwane.
The call was made after the Pretoria News reported about the arrest of the ANC branch secretary in Nellmapius’s Ward 86, Lima Sethokga.
Sethokga was caught together with his alleged accomplices Karabo and Thabo Letswalo for alleged extortion of money from a developer involved in a construction project in Silverton.
The trio are allegedly known as the “Boko Haram of Nellmapius” due to their notorious acts of demanding “bribes” from local businesspeople and developers in exchange for protecting them.
They were released on bail on July 26, following their second court appearance at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
Their case was postponed to September 3.
DA Gauteng MPL Michael Shackleton hailed the police for the arrest, saying it was “a step in the right direction”.
However, he said there was a need to arrest more people in connection with terrorising communities and delaying community projects.
He cast doubt on the work executed by a task team established by the Tshwane SAPS district to investigate and monitor crime involving the Boko Haram gang.
“The fact that this gang is continuing to terrorise the residents, clearly indicates that the established task team is failing and there is an urgent need for effective intervention,” Shackleton said.
To that end, he vowed to “put pressure on both Mazibuko and the Gauteng SAPS commissioner Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela to put urgent measures in place to curb the violence and criminality of this gang”.
“It is the responsibility of the SAPS to ensure the safety of residents and to prevent such crimes.
“More arrests need to be made but this can only be done through effective police intelligence and comprehensive actions taken,” he said.
Department of Community Safety spokesperson Ofentse Morwane didn’t respond to a request for comment on the sentiment expressed by the DA that the established task team was failing to curb the illegal operations of the Boko Haram gang.