MATHE – Community members threatened to take the law into their hands, should the police fail to curb the on-going crime at Mathe. The threats were made during a community mass meeting last Friday.

Addressing the media, the chairperson of the civic association, Mr Patson Manabela, said that community members were fed-up with the ongoing theft in the area. They indicated that "incompetent policing" was the main stumbling block in curbing the increasing crime. According to Manabela, residents accepted a vote of no confidence in the local police station, "since its members seem to be inactive towards combatting crimes and only concentrate on family feuds".

He disclosed that housebreaking and theft cases in the area had reached an intolerably high number, but the police were dragging their feet to address the problems. He added that the community members had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the police to see that crime was combatted. Should they fail, the community would take the law into their own hands.

He warned that a situation similar to that in Johannesburg, where drug lords and gangsters are at each other's throats, would develop, should crime in the area not be brought under control. He revealed that his community had issued a memorandum to the regional commissioner with an appeal to start a mass transfer of police to other areas.

The community resolved that a satellite police station be installed immediately and that the police and members of defence force should conduct regular roadblocks.

Manabela further said that this community had resolved to start a manhunt campaign to trace illegal immigrants presently occupying land at Mathe. Rumour has it that some of the immigrants had mysteriously changed their identity documents, whilst some were married to locals without the approval of the local tribal authority.

The spokesperson, Insp Philip Morolo, declined to respond to the allegations and referred all questions to the area commissioner.