Gang war claims the lives of two men
FREE State police are worried that the deaths of two men in a gang war could flare up into more violence.
On Wednesday night, two men from Botshabelo – Thabo Mathosa, 20, and Lebohang Nthabi, 22 – believed to be members of a street gang called BTK (Born To Kill), were allegedly hacked with pangas and stoned to death in an attack by rival members belonging to 666 and 7 Slash gangs.
Police spokeswoman Constable Consolation Mokoale said police were monitoring the situation to make sure that no more violence occurred in the area.
“Our members are patrolling the area to make sure there is no more violence. We are also pleading with the community not to take the law into their own hands,” Mokoale said.
Mathosa ’ s brother Lebohang said he was afraid of what might happen should he come across one of the people he believed was responsible for his brother’s death. He added that he could have easily been a victim of the gang himself.
“I was walking home with my fiancee and baby when the group approached us. As they were coming for me, some of their members called from metres away, saying they had managed to get hold of someone else. They left us alone and rushed to where the others were,” Lebohang said.
His brother’s friends later told the family that his brother had been attacked.
“I rushed to where he was and found him badly injured. He was not talking and was crying.
“A woman from a nearby house told me not to move him. So I went home to get a blanket to cover him up.
“My sister kept watch over him while I went home.”
It was while Lebohang was gone that the gang came back.
“My sister said they grabbed him and finished him off. She said they told her that ‘ we will finish this dog up’,” he said.
The group is then said to have gone to a nearby house and set it on fire.
Five people are expected to appear in the Botshabelo Magistrate ’ s Court today to face arson charges. –