Members of Mamelodi’s notorious gang "Boko Haram" are in hiding after three people belonging to the same group were killed in three weeks.
The latest victim, 41, was gunned down at about 8.30pm on Monday. He was attacked at a traffic light in Silverton, near Mamelodi, east of Pretoria.
The two other members were gunned down when four heavily armed men stormed a well-known night spot, Santorini Pub in Mamelodi West, where a birthday celebration of one of their own was held on August 29.
The men were driving a white Hyundai H1.
The families of the deceased declined to speak to Sowetan.
Two members of the group who spoke on condition of anonymity told Sowetan that they are now in hiding because they believe that they are being targeted.
"I'm living in fear now and I'm in hiding and I carry my gun even when I'm home because I don't know who to trust now," said one member.
He said they had terrorised many people in the community by demanding shares from business people, hijacking community projects and making foreign tuck shop owners and small business owners to pay them protection fees.
He said many people could believe they have a valid reason to attack them due to their actions.
Boko Haram has wreaked havoc in Mamelodi by collecting monthly protection fees from tuck shops owned by foreign nationals while they have attempted to hijack government-owned housing projects and have demanded shares from companies doing business in areas in and around Pretoria.
The man said some of their members have resorted to changing vehicles while others have decided to move out of their residential homes for their safety.
He said it was difficult to identify the people who stormed the club because they were wearing balaclavas.
The gang is also suspecting that another gang could be behind the attacks.
"Everyone wants to rule in Mamelodi and the only way to rule is to eliminate members who are in charge," the man said.
"We have created lots of enemies and everywhere we go we are not free and anything might happen at any time," said another group member.
“I’m carrying a gun everywhere I go and watch my movement every place I go and I'm very careful and I don’t trust anyone," he said.
Gauteng police spokesperson Capt Mavela Masondo said the Santorini Club murder case was referred to the provincial detectives task team.
Masondo said police found two victims with several gunshots to their bodies and faces.
"While police were busy arranging paramedics and also investigating the scene, an unknown gunman shot at them from behind an electric meter box. The police ran for cover and the gunman proceeded to shoot at the state vehicle with a heavy calibre weapon suspected to be an R5 or an AK47," Masondo said.
He said the officers were not injured during the attack and were referred for counselling.
On Monday's shooting, provincial police spokesperson Col Noxolo Kweza said no arrests have been made
She appealed to anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect or suspects to come forward or contact 10111 or their nearest police station.
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