Caryn Dolley
AFTER dark, the 28s gang in Bishop Lavis come alive.
Their purpose: to maintain power and notoriety, which is achieved through what is alleged to be a reign of terror by George “Geweld” Thomas.
This information is contained in a National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) presentation which details the State’s case against Thomas and his 18 co-accused.
Thomas is on trial in the Western Cape High Court and faces more than 160 charges relating to various crimes, including murder, extortion and racketeering, committed over several years.
The trial itself has been running for more than a year.
According to the NPA presentation, a street-level faction of the 28s, whose main territory was in Bishop Lavis, operated under Thomas.
It said the gang was formulated along the principles of the 28s prison gang but did not strictly adhere to the jail gang’s protocol, and it was a merger of various gangs, including the Terrible Josters, the Westside gang and The Outlaws.
The presentation said the gang under Thomas’s leadership had executed crimes including:
l Murders – These were carried out as a result of revenge, to maintain control of territory, to confront rival gangs, to retaliate against rival gangs and “to avoid prosecution through the elimination of State witnesses”.
l Intimidation, corruption and obstructing the course of justice: “To perpetuate the activities and objectives of the gang, despite the incarceration of its members.”
l Drug dealing – 28s members dealt in drugs themselves, and rival gangsters, or members of the public, either dealt in drugs for 28s members, paid protection money to deal within 28s territory or were forced to get stock from 28s members.
l Extortion – Shebeens, rival drug outlets, taxi operators and local businesses within 28s territory were targeted.
l Robbery – “Loot is divided among the participants. [Thomas] takes the lion’s share thereof.”
The presentation said the structure of the gang was on military lines and it had set up a makeshift shooting range off Symphony Way. “Members practised their marksmanship with the express purpose of sniping intended victims.”
Firearms they had used included three .22 long rifles, and one of the witnesses had been tasked with storing some of the weapons.
The presentation said they used the following symbols:
l the number 28
l the Roman numerals XXVIII
l a setting sun
l a hand signal using the thumb, index finger and middle finger, which are extended to look like a firearm
l they were often tattooed with these symbols
l they spoke to each other in a unique language, known as “sabela”
caryn.dolley@inl.co.za