Undressed robbers on the prowl

THE SOUND of the double term Shake-Shake usually reminds one of opaque beer that is sold in drinking places, one enjoyed most by those who cannot afford the bottled holy waters. Yet for some people, that same word bring shivers down their spines as it is now a term coined to refer to a group of unruly gangsters who terrorise villagers while undressed save for faces covered in empty shake-shake box masks.

So it is for the Madeweni community in Lower Gwelo, a place in between Maboleni and Sikombingo. Omashake-shake have taken to terrorising villagers who will be walking to and fro Maboleni and Sikombingo.

Villagers claim these gangsters target lone figures especially women and the elderly. One of such victimised women who spoke to B-Metro said that she has had a traumatic encounter that will forever stay with her.

"These omashake-shake are young men who are strong and overpower women. The one I met was alone and undressed save for a shake-shake mask. He appeared to be someone who was mentally ill but when he produced a knife and demanded my handbag and groceries thats when I realised that he was just a hooligan."

Some residents claim that sometime late last year, one student was waylaid on her way from school and almost got raped had it not been for another man who was passing by and disturbed the perpetrator.

"The local police know about these stories because we have always reported them and the only time we heard that one of them was arrested was once. We hope that more could be done because we cannot go on living like this. During the festive season it was even worse, many people were terrorised and it seems these men were planted everywhere in the area."

Contacted for comment Midlands Police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said they are yet to receive confirmation about the issue from Maboleni Police Station as they do not have the full story at hand.