Khayelitsha residents have expressed concern with the arrest of Yanga “Bara” Nyalara, the man believed to be the Western Cape’s “most wanted criminal”. The people of Khayelitsha live in fear with Bara behind bars and want him released.
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Residents of Khayelitsha are making this demand for Bara’s release because they live in fear of criminals taking over their communities. This should speak volumes about our police force and the level of safety it brings to the most vulnerable areas of Cape Town.
When you think of a man labelled as the mastermind behind two mass shootings amongst a long list of heinous crimes, you don’t think of a hero, but rather a monster with no conscious. So why are the Khayelitsha residents demanding this monster’s release? Because Bara was Khayelitsha’s Robin hood, he protected and looked after the community and with him behind bars the community now feels unsafe and scared. Food for thought perhaps, and a wake-up call to the police service, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Adrienne Bredeveldt.
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Yanga “Bara” Nyalara was arrested on 2 July after living under the radar for four years after skipping bail in 2018.
“Bara” is wanted on 31 charges including organised crime, possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition, business robbery, drug dealing and charges of murder and attempted murder.
He is implicated as the mastermind behind the horrendous mass shootings in Khayelitsha on 8 and 15 May 2020, where a total of 18 people lost their lives.
“Bara” appeared in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 4 July under heavily armed guards. Specialist police officers with rifles were guarding the outside of the court while police in civilian clothes kept a watch from the streets outside of the courthouse.
Yanga Nyalara’s case is postponed to 18 August, when more charges could be added.
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Picture: SAPS