Residents of Kinross (Marikana) are not willing to back down when coming to fighting crime in their area.
“We cannot sit and watch people being raped and robbed in their own homes,” said one of the resident who also mentioned that the first step will be to demolish all empty shacks.
Residents said there are people, some of them police, nurses and teachers who put up their shacks, but do not stay inside.
They added that some of empty shacks turned to harbour criminals, mostly AmaRussia (Sotho nationals known for fighting against each other), whose number have increased in the area.
The Sotho national men were said to be staying in a number of fifteen people in one shack.
Some ward committee members said it is not fair for people who are permanently employed in higher positions to go and put up shacks at Marikana, taking space for the unemployed.
Residents pointed at a shack and said the owner stays in Eastern Cape, only comes back when the municipal officials goes to offer services such as giving them stand numbers.
“We want those people to know that when they come back, their shacks will be gone,” added concerned resident.
Demolition of some of the shacks had already began and it was alleged that stolen items were found in some of them.
Rape of elderly men was also raised as a serious concern. “One men was raped at night and he tried to go and open a case at the police station.
“He could not continue with opening the case because the police laughed at him,” said one of the resident.