Some residents in Khayelitsha say they are not happy with the arrest of the alleged mastermind behind the mass shootings which rocked the area in recent months.
The Site C residents say that the “Cape’s most wanted man”, Yanga “Bara” Nyalara, 30, had been playing the role of the police, protecting them from criminals.
Cops said Bara was nabbed at a house in Bothasig on Friday, while in bed with two “pretty young women”, and with a stash of drugs worth R90 000.
On Monday, as news of the teacher turned taxi owner and alleged kingpin spread on social media, people started asking cops to release him as they are now “unprotected”.
“They have really screwed us over. If we were in KwaZulu, we would be striking and looting,” a Site C resident told the Daily Voice.
“They need to release Bara so he can come out and do what the police are failing to do.
“Goodness, the skollies are going to take over our community and we were free (to move about) when Bara was around.”
Another community member says the man facing 18 charges of murder was a hero.
“He helped disadvantaged children and orphans, those who need money for burials.
“He must come back to us, we need him. He is the person who managed to get rid of skollies from the area. This place would have been worse without him.”
In April, residents marched to Site B police station asking cops to leave Bara alone, after cops put up a R100 000 reward for his arrest.
Minister Bheki Cele lauded cops for Bara’s arrest and said he was busted while sharing a bed with two women in a Bothasig house.
“We have seen the young man, he has been charged for 31 counts. I’m told that six cases will be of murder which left 19 bodies around Khayelitsha and other places.
“He was found by our guys in one of the top suburbs in Cape Town. Looks like he was having it nice because I am told that he was found sleeping between two young beautiful women and with a lot of drugs,” he explained.
“He also skipped bail in Eastern Cape in a case involving a CIT robbery, it looks like he is a man about town.”
Cele said more arrests were imminent.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za