Pretoria - Mamelodi residents are getting upset about the character known as “John Wick”, whom they previously praised for cleaning up the township.
They now say he is, in fact, a rival gangster taking out the opposition. The unknown gunman, believed to have killed close to 10 people, is linked to another murder.
Phillip Given Mnguni, who was popularly known as Nkunzi, died in a hail of bullets on Tuesday while driving with his partner, who was injured. The incident took place in Rayton, east of Pretoria.
The killing sparked a flurry of responses on social media, with “John Wick” and Mamelodi topping social media trends lists.
In recent weeks, several high-ranking members of the so-called Boko Haram gang, who have led a reign of terror in Mamelodi, have been slain.
On Tuesday, the apparent leader of the “Boko Haram” gang, identified as 35-year-old Mnguni, died on the N4 Highway near Diamond Hill toll plaza at around midday.
Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili said the police had set up a task team comprising, among others, specialised units in the SAPS, organised crime and crime intelligence to investigate the series of related murders in Mamelodi.
She said they were on the lookout for the silver Mercedes-Benz allegedly used by the shooters.
“No one has been arrested yet and the police have registered a case of murder and attempted murder,” she said.
Muridili squashed rumours that there was a “John Wick” in Mamelodi. She said they were not sure as to whether or not the shootings were related to gang wars, or were random attacks, even on innocent citizens.
“In the latest shootings, people who were not part of the gangs were also killed, so at this stage we do not want to say everyone (who) has been killed is linked to the gangs, but we are investigating allegations we are receiving from witnesses.”
The Pretoria News recently reported that community members celebrated the news that the alleged perpetrator was “cleaning up” the township.
According to them, the police had failed to end the reign of terror by “Boko Haram”.
It was reported that the alleged killer was the face of another gang called Bafarasai, which wanted to take over control of the township from “Boko Haram”.
Hours after Nkunzi was shot dead, another member of the Boko Haram was allegedly shot dead in Mamelodi next to a cemetery in Mahube Extension 10, next to Gem Valley.
Mamelodi residents took to social media to express their concerns that “John Wick” may be from a new or rival gang while some applauded him for his work.
Kagiso Matlala said: “How sure are you that it is only an individual who targets and kills this crew? What if it is another crew?”
Kobus Conradie said: “Mzansi shocked? No, Mzansi is very happy that someone is doing something against criminality as SAPS can’t or won’t.”
Another social media user posted: “The man is legitimately a serial killer, but because we are fed up with our communities being playgrounds for thugs and their dirty doings, we are celebrating him. It says a lot about the state of affairs in SA.”
Pretoria News