Nyanga residents are pleading with mense to be alert when entering their area, and even cautioning them to stay away as skelms are using online trading sites to lure buyers and sellers and then rob them.
Nyanga SAPS management has noted with concern an increase in robberies linked to Facebook Marketplace and other social media platforms, in hotspots like Browns Farm, Philippi and Junction Mall.
A resident from Brown’s Farm tells the Daily Voice that young tsotsis even went as far as using her address to lure mense to the community.
“They would give my address and when the people get into my road, then they rob them,” she says.
“I’ve seen how they stab people, how they beat people, how people sit and cry afterwards and I tried to intervene, but then that same tsotsi came back later and threw my windows in.”
The woman said that the laaities are 16 to 18 years old and aren’t from the area.
“I just wish people would stop buying things from [online] adverts in our area. It is not safe and it’s frustrating that we get blamed for this,” she adds.
Nyanga station commander Luzuko Majola revealed that several incidents of robberies and violent attacks have been reported due to social media trading, where mense were robbed after being lured into the area by potential buyers or sellers.
He says that the Nyanga policing precinct has become notorious for these robberies.
“It’s unfortunate that the township community will be labelled as such. Even with an increase in visible policing, the perpetrators have still found a way to attack unsuspecting traders,” Majola said.
One of these incidents happened on March 10 when two women were hijacked in Sheffield Road, Brown’s Farm, as they waited for a prospective buyer after they advertised items on Marketplace.
The victims were allegedly forced out of their car by several men and the skelms drove off with the vehicle, leaving the vroue behind.
Police advised potential buyers or sellers to ensure that they know who they are doing business with and avoid going to areas they aren’t familiar with.
tracy-lynn.ruiters@inl.co.za