Determined Hanover Park patrollers on Thursday gathered on the veldjie where the body of slain teen Jehaan Petersen was dumped this week, in an effort to stop criminals from using the area.
Meanwhile, two more manne have been taken into custody for Jehaan’s murder following the arrest of a 33-year-old suspect known as “Georgie”.
The groot stuk of land next to Crystal High was a sore point among mense who say they had warned about the morsig veldjie being used by skollies to smoke drugs.
The patrollers from various neighbourhood watches came with tools and bags to remove the thick bushes, and made shocking discoveries – even stormwater pipes were being used by gangs and druggies not far from where Jehaan’s body was left.
She was found on Sunday as her frantic family searched for her, after she was last seen with skelms of the Americans gang several days earlier.
The girl was strangled to death with a belt and her head bashed in with a concrete slab.
Shamiela de Villiers of the Reach Out Foundation explains that residents had long warned about the dangers of the veldjie but received no feedback.
Ward councillor Antonio van der Rheede says the land is owned by the national department of public works, which has made maintenance difficult.
He adds that a meeting with the principal of Crystal High is being planned to discuss the way forward.
Meanwhile, residents caught two more alleged skelms just hours before Jehaan’s memorial service on Wednesday night.
Ouma Shakeela Rhode, 49, says kwaad mense brought the suspects to Jehaan’s home and demanded they come clean with her family.
“They brought two guys that they said were there [when she was killed] and they wanted them to tell us what happened to Jehaan,” Rhode says.
“The mense were very kwaad and wanted to make them vrek, but they just said they didn’t know.
“The police took them but we don’t know if they are charged along with Georgie or not.
“I want to thank the people from Kalksteenfontein who caught Georgie. We are very grateful because now we can get justice for Jehaan.”
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk confirms the ouens were taken into custody by Philippi police: “Two males aged 17 and 27 were taken in for questioning as part of an ongoing investigation of a murder case which occurred on Sunday, when the body of a woman was found on an open field in Hanover Park.”
“They are still in custody and investigations continue,” he adds.