Crime fighters and community leaders in Philippi East are urgently calling for law enforcement intervention following the brutal murder of five men over the weekend. The incident, suspected to be linked to ongoing extortion battles, has once again raised concerns over escalating violence in the area.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa confirmed that the bodies of five men were discovered in a torched vehicle in the Better Life informal settlement. According to preliminary reports, four armed suspects ambushed the victims, shot them, and subsequently set the car alight.
“The identities of the deceased persons are yet to be determined, with investigators hard at work collecting evidence,” Potelwa stated. “The ages of the deceased are estimated to be between 20 and 30. The motive for the incident is the subject of the police investigation that is currently underway.”
Community members fear that the gruesome murders are a direct result of a turf war between rival extortion syndicates operating in the area. Martin Makasi, chairperson of the Nyanga District Community Policing Forum (CPF), reported that intelligence from residents points to ongoing clashes between factions from the Marcus Garvey and Better Life informal settlements.
“The syndicates are fighting over the collection of ‘protection fees’ from spaza shops, taxis, and other businesses,” Makasi explained. “The trouble started when the leaders of a group known as the ‘Two Cs’ were killed, and now you have all these young men running around causing chaos. The brutal manner in which they commit these murders shows that they do not fear being caught.”
Extortion in the region has long been a source of terror for local business owners, with syndicates demanding monthly payments under threat of violence. Somali shop owners, in particular, have been frequent targets. A letter reported by the Daily Voice in August 2023 highlighted these threats, instructing shopkeepers to pay a new extortion group or face death.
“There are new tax collectors from Marcus Garvey. Do not give these Lower Crossroads boys money ever again, or else we kill every Somalian,” the letter read, signed by a group identifying itself as ‘Marcus Garvey’.
Makasi and other community leaders are now questioning why promised law enforcement interventions have yet to materialize. He referenced a commitment made by former police minister Bheki Cele on 16 May 2024, in which he pledged to deploy the National Intelligence Unit and other specialized task forces to curb the extortion crisis.
“Until today, we have seen no change,” Makasi said. “As a community, we need to know what SAPS’ plan is. People are living in fear, and there seems to be no way out. In the recent shooting, anyone nearby could have been killed.”
