Masked criminals on horseback are attacking villagers by invading homes, robbing and assaulting residents in Sikhobeni and other areas in Mthatha.
Known as "Oononto ayibonwa" -- it means "something that cannot be seen" -- the raiders have been terrorising villages in the Bhityi area for years.
Tired of being terrified as soon as the sun sets, Sikhobeni villagers assaulted and killed two suspected members of the horse-riding gang two weeks ago.
One of the victims of the gang is a woman in her 70s who was shot and left for dead.
Her son, who is 35 and asked not to be named due to fear of being targeted, said his mother was shot in March this year when the gang entered her home demanding money.
"She survived the attack but the bullet is still in my mother's body," said the son.
"She can't do anything for herself. She used to wake up and feed her chickens and take care of everyone in the yard and now we can't even leave her alone at home."
Another resident, who also asked not to be named, said they are even scared to speak at community meetings because at night they will be threatened.
"We know that sooner or later we will get an unwelcome visitor and you'll pay for what you said," he said.
Another elderly woman said she hasn't had a peaceful sleep since she was attacked last year. Four men arrived at her home one night and knocked at the window and ordered her to open the door.
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"I wake up at 11 o'clock every night without fail. I start panicking and I sometimes struggle to breathe because I'm scared they will come back to finish me off," she said.
On Wednesday, King Sabata Dalindyebo mayor Nyaniso Nelani called a community meeting at Sikhobeni village, where the effectiveness of Bhityi Police Station came under the spotlight.
"We've had many meetings with the station commander and his response is always that they don't have enough resources, like police vans, and enough police officers.
"They complain that the roads are too bad for them to get to our villages. We're not protected at all," said a frustrated community member.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu had not yet responded to questions sent by Scrolla.Africa at the time of publication.
