Buildings and car burn in North West gang confrontation

Cape Town - Buildings and a car were set alight in a confrontation between a taxi association and alleged gangsters in Kanana on Sunday afternoon, according to North-West police.

The taxi association in Orkney was apparently tired of crime in the area and entered the location to confront individuals they believed to be part of a gang, Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone told News24.

She said a tavern, a Nissan 1400 bakkie in the tavern’s yard, and a house belonging to a resident were set alight. It was not clear who was responsible for the arson.

No arrests or injuries were reported and police were investigating cases of arson and public violence.

“Late this afternoon [Sunday], the Kanana station commander had a meeting with the chairperson of the taxi association and the mayor of Matlosana to try and get a solution to the problem,” Mokgwabone said.

The confrontation comes a week after provincial community safety MEC Gaoage Molapisi visited the area and met with police and councillors over the gangster problem.

According to a department statement, different groups of young people had been on the rampage in the area, “raping, destroying property, killing each other and breaking people’s homes”.

The gangsters apparently stormed homes with weapons including garden forks.

Residents told the department at the time that they were afraid to give the police information because of possible reprisal.

Police were patrolling the area, which was said to be “calm” on Sunday evening.