By STAFF REPORTER
2 March 2026- Following violent confrontations between two apparent rival groups in Letlhabile, near Brits, the acting North West Police Commissioner, Major General (Dr) Ryno Naidoo, has deployed a dedicated Task Team to stabilise the area and investigate the recent incidents of gang-related violence. Naidoo said this decisive intervention resulted in the arrest of six suspects who appeared before the Brits Magistrate’s Court on 26 February 2026, on charges of murder.
He further said the arrests relate to an incident that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, 21 February 2026, at a tavern in Maboloka. Naidoo added that it is alleged that the six suspects believed to be members of the so-called “6-4 Gang”, attacked and assaulted two men, Tshiamo Mokomane (18) and Godfrey Pitsi (31).
“The victims sustained multiple injuries and were transported to a local clinic, where they were both certified dead. The accused, Phumelelo Fortunate Mokoena (21), Mpumelelo Thapelo Masilela (22), Koketso Tumanyane (20), Amogelang Mathimba (20), Vincent Ntsanko Chabalala (20) and Keabetse Phiri (20) — were remanded in custody until 24 March 2026.
“In addition to the murder charges, Keabetse Phiri is also facing a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH), arising from a separate incident reported on the same night,” he said.
Meanwhile, Naidoo emphasised that the police will not tolerate any form of gang-related violence that threatens the safety and stability of communities. He said police have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to gang-related criminality in Letlhabile and surrounding areas and the deployment of the Task Team demonstrates police’s commitment to restoring calm and ensuring that those responsible for these senseless acts of violence are brought to book.
“We assure the community that police visibility will be intensified through high-density operations, stop-and-search actions, and intelligence-driven interventions. Lastly, we urge community members to work with law enforcement by providing information that can assist ongoing investigations.
“Investigations into related incidents are ongoing,” said Naidoo.
The Guardian 