Pretoria – The recent spate of killings in Mamelodi, including a man being shot multiple times in public, have sparked rumours that there is a killer, dubbed John Wick, hell-bent on assassinating members of the-called Boko Haram gang.
The cold-blooded killing of the man was captured in a video.
In the video, the killer’s face is hidden, but his hand can be seen pulling the trigger and shooting at the man, even when he is apparently dead.
The presumably dead man – linked to Boko Haram – is shot in the head several times during the day in full view of bystanders. Locals have likened the unknown killer to a thriller movie character known as John Wick, who ruthlessly murdered his opponents.
Some residents last week called in to a national radio station to express their fears and frustration that there was a mad killer on the loose.
Others, however, celebrated the news that the alleged perpetrator was “cleaning up” the township after the police “failed” to end the reign of terror by Boko Haram.
The Pretoria News was told that the alleged killer was the face of another gang, called Bafarasai, which wanted to take over control of the township from Boko Haram.
The killer in question has a Facebook account called John Wick Mamelodi.
In one of the latest posts, he wrote: “I will be scouting at the village tonight. Be warned, I want to finish Boko Haram. I am not going to kill Nkuzi now. Maybe later.” It is unclear who he referred to as Nkuzi.
Another post said: “I am still going to take them one (by) one. They touched the wrong territory.”
Speaking to the Pretoria News, police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili quashed the rumours spread by residents that there was a John Wick on the prowl in the sprawling township.
Asked whether the stories were fake news, Muridili said: “I wouldn’t say that because they (the residents) know what they know, but the investigation is not corroborating what they know.”
She said she had come across a story that 11 dead bodies had been found in the township, but the police “have not picked up 11 bodies in Mamelodi”.
Muridili, however, said the police were aware of the recent murders that had been “committed allegedly by a breakaway group from the so-called Boko Haram, calling themselves Bafarasai”.
“There is a team comprising among others specialised units in the SAPS, organised crime and crime intelligence that has been revived to investigate these murders,” she said.
No one had been arrested yet, she said, and appealed to the community of Mamelodi to report any information related to the murders to a Crime Stop, number 08600 10111.
“Information may be provided anonymously and will be treated with confidentiality,” Muridili said.
Last month, the Pretoria News reported that some residents believed the Boko Haram rule was crumbling, especially after reports that its gang members were in hiding because they feared they could be killed.
That was after at least three people associated with the gang were killed
Some South Africans have reacted to the menace on social media with mixed feelings.