Fikile Yika, 20, said: “We do not feel safe anymore. It could lead to unwanted pregnancies and HIV infections. No one is sure if these boys use condoms.”
Mamiki Mazibuko, 67, said; “Our boys are bitter. They kill and force themselves on women for fun, without fear or remorse.”
Thomas Vilakazi, assistant pastor at the Holy Apostle church said: “While we pray for the cure for HIV, our young men are busy going around spreading the virus and they do not care.”
Four young men suspected by to community to be part of the Marikana gang refused to talk to OurHealth.
Recently the community newspaper Issue reported that the Marikana gang had apologised to the community.
Gang leader Thabiso Mokoena was reported as saying: “We are sorry for the pain we have caused you.” He was speaking in front of hundreds of people attending a community meeting.
A policeman working in Bethlehem, who asked to remain anonymous, said, however, that some of the boys in the gang had not turned their backs on their bad ways, and were “still out there in the community raping women and stealing”.
