Orange Farm gripped by fear as three young people die in gang violence

Schools shut down, parents fearing for the safety of their children and three young people confirmed to have been murdered in two days. 

This is the chaos that has gripped Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, during a recent surge of gang violence.

On Monday, a gang of six, wielding pangas, stormed the home of Sibusiso Khomotsana, 18, and broke the windows. His family told Sowetan the gang did not say why they were searching for him, but threatened to return to set the house on fire. 

On Tuesday, Khomotsana was found bleeding on the street after he was hacked with pangas. He died on the way to a clinic.

The grade 11 pupil at Thetha Secondary School is the latest victim of gang violence that has engulfed the area. Several learners have been injured in attacks.o Khomotsana’s sister, Mpho Khomotsana, said the family is living in fear of the gang. 

In another incident on Monday, a former pupil was killed after being assaulted during a fight. His name is not known at this stage. Orange Farm police said a third body — that of Ntando Radebe — was found on Tuesday night with gunshot wounds.

The incidents have sparked fear, outrage and frustration in the community. Parents gathered outside Thetha Secondary School yesterday to discuss how to end the violence andagreed to start patrolling the school to ensure the safety of their children.

“We cannot allow ourselves to lose to criminals. In the end, it is our children who are suffering,” said one angry and frustrated parent. 

A  mother of a pupil who was beaten up allegedly by another gang on Monday, said the family had decided to send him away. She said gangsters beat up her son because one of his friends fought with a gang member on Facebook.

“He came with bloodstains [on his clothing], [and] his eye was swollen. He does not know the cause of the fight; he thinks his friends might have insulted the gang on Facebook.

“I was told last night that they [the gang] said they will finish him, so I sent him away. I don’t know for how long, but his safety comes first,” she added.

Parents told Sowetan that alleged gang members jumped over a fence at Thetha Secondary on Monday and beat up pupils in front of teachers before dragging them outside, where two of them were stabbed. 

Yesterday, another pupil was stabbed inside the school premises by assailants who then fled the scene.

At Vulanindlela Secondary, four pupils were involved in a fight that resulted in a grade 11 pupil being stabbed. 

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has condemned the violence, saying any pupil found to be involved in gang-related activities would be immediately suspended and face formal disciplinary action.

“We unequivocally condemn all acts of violence and gang-related activity on and around school premises,” Chiloane said. “We are committed to ensuring that our schools remain safe spaces for learning and development.”

Joburg MMC for development planning, Eunice Mgcina, who was in Orange Farm yesterday, said: “The situation is bad. Already, we have lost 10 youngsters in the area. That is the information I received from the councillor. In terms of the root cause, we are informed that it is as a result of groupings in the area and has involvement of substance abuse. We are suspecting initiation fights also.”

Orange Farm police station commander, Brig MJ Manamela, said the motives for the killings were suspected to be gang-related. He said no suspects had been arrested yet.

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