SHADOW OVER NALEDI

Naledi, a place where everyone don’t want to be, a place where investors and guest are afraid to visit it. Everyone was in shock after what the Black Tigers did, they used to torture people and rob them. This place was under siege by the gang rule. Neo who was a courier was afraid to deliver the parcels to its destination. “I saw something so bad yesterday and I don’t think I will be able to deliver,” Neo looked terrified. Neo had a terrible flashbacks about his brother who was killed by Black Tigers and even today this gang is still exist. Neo picked few boxes and load them on his van, he was driving on a road to a location and saw someone hooting him from the behind, he asked himself why the police wanted to stop him and he finally stopped. Detective Lerumo got out of his police car and stood next to Neo’s van. “Hey my man,” Lerumo greeted.

“You almost gave me a heart attack, man,” Neo laughed. “Man, we need to talk and I know you have the potential,” Lerumo said. Neo was surprised.

“What are you talking about?”

“Our town is under siege by the gang rule and I understand how your brother died.” What Lerumo said did not sit Neo well. “How could you? You have the nerve to bring my brother’s death in our conversation!” Neo shouted. “I know you need to avenge about what they did to your brother and I need you to to be my informer,”  Detective Lerumo said, looking so confident. “Clearly you don’t love me, I know you want to destroy them but I can’t risk myself over this,” Neo said. Lerumo looked so confused and he wanted to use Neo to bring the Black Tigers down. “Imagine coming from work and you found your house messed up, would you love that?” Detective Lerumo asked, trying to change Neo’s mind.  “I understand your concern my brother but no thanks.” Neo drove away and left Detective Lerumo there.

 

Community members felt frustrated and some of them slept with one eye open, they gathered at the police station for the issue of gangsters in their town and they started to sing, it was clear that this town was a mess during that time. “We have had enough of these criminals, we don’t want a gangster that will rule this town!” community leader shouted. “We understand your concern as a community members, we will do our best even though we are limited on resources,” Station Commander Colonel Smith addressed them. Everyone didn’t want to hear that, they longed for the police to help them.

“We don’t want to hear anything from you guys, you need to do your job,” Aunt Lira said, pointing them with a finger.

“Okay community, we will deploy a special unit to destroy this gangster, but it will take months because we need to budget with the provincial government,” Colonel Smith said.

“Station commander people are dying, don’t tell us about the budget. We are in a big crisis right now,” community member yelled. The crowd kept raising their voice and prepared themselves to fight the police, some community members insulted the police members and threw stones to them. Police officers prepared themselves and carried rubber bullets's gunshot.

“Stop what you are doing, you will get injured,” Station Commander instructed them. A tear gas was thrown and made a huge blue smoke, people dropped the posters and ran away and everything was a mess. Aunt Lira influenced them to take the law into their own hands. “These police officers are useless, we can’t wait for months while people dying, if we find one of the gangster we burn him alive,” Aunt Lira said. Community members agreed with her.

Neo heard about the march and found out that tear gas was thrown, he went to his aunt to figure how she was. “I heard that the police officers fought you,” Neo said.

“Don’t worry son, we will fight this until these kids give up,” Aunt Lira said. Neo was frustrated.

“I hope you are not injured, these boys are ruling this town and we don't want that. What really happened?” Neo asked. “Don’t worry son, if we find one of them committing a crime we will teach them a lesson. We fought the police because they are failing to assist us.” Neo felt so confused.

“You are right aunt, we can’t allow Black Tigers to do as they please, these police officers are useless,” Neo said. “Do you want to say anything?” Aunt Lira said. “I need to meet someone, we will talk.” Neo went out to see Detective Lerumo.

 

The Black Tigers met at their usual spot to target an armored vehicle, people were busy on the street at town. Bra Killer was wiping his gun, Ta Mike was standing on the corner spotting the vehicle, it was midday. Out of nowhere a vehicle appeared and stopped at the bank, two security officers went out, escorting each other to the bank.

“Guys they have arrived,” Ta Mike called them. Bra Killer ran to the vehicle before they enter at the bank and he pulled the trigger, everyone screamed on the street and they ran away, one security officer got off the vehicle and hid against it, took out the gun and aimed for the gangsters, a gun shot was heard and Ta Mike went down.

“These morons are shooting back.” Ta mike took out the gun and a bullet went out and hit one officer on the head. The other two officers ran to the vehicle, Ta mike was approaching them shooting, one officer shot back and a bullet hit the wall. “These guys are fighting back, they know what they are doing but they can’t defeat us,” Ta Mike said, running to them and he continued shooting. Bra Killer shot another officer, and he died instantly. One left officer dropped a bag of money ran away. Ta Mike saw an opportunity and grabbed the money. “We did it boss,” Ta Mike smiled.

Everyone was watching them as they leave and ran.

 

Detective Lerumo was preparing himself to go to the scene and Neo arrived.

“Sir, I am ready to work with you,” Neo said and pulled a chair to sit down.

“There is a cash in transit sir, come back later,” Detective Lerumo said.

“Sir this is very important, I managed to get their information,” said Neo.

Detective Lerumo was excited to hear that because he longed to arrest them.

“You did a good job sir,” Lerumo smiled.

“I will come back later,” Neo said and left detective.

 

Ta Mike and Killer arrived at their place, their heart were full of joy. These gangsters told themselves that their mission was a success, they didn’t realized that some community members are aware about their mission. “We did it, guys,” Ta Mike said.

“It is time to be rich,” Bra Killer said. While enjoying their mission, they heard group of people shouting and wanted them to come out. “Guys, we are not coming out,” Ta Mike instructed them. “Those people are capable of burning this shack down,” Bra Killer said. A petrol bomb was thrown and the gangsters exited without looking back, the community members caught them.

“Let them burn!” Aunt Lira shouted. “Please don’t kill us, we will stop committing crime,” Ta Mike said. Within the blink of an eye, police officers arrived, armed. It was a chaotic moment. “Stop what you are doing, we will take over!” Detective Lerumo shouted. The community members didn’t want to listen to the police and the police acted swiftly to save those gangsters, and they managed to arrest them with the information of Neo.

Copyrighted by Brian Makara, 2025