Police Minister Bheki Cele returned to Finetown on Monday, two weeks after seven people were killed in a mass shooting.

Cele listened to frustrated residents, who lamented both the slow policing efforts and corruption among local officers.

Highlighting the levels of frustration, one resident - Thabiso Thuputlela - called for corrupt police officers to face street justice, to "remind" them what their roles were.

"It's time to discipline the police," said Thuputlela.

He implored Cele to do more to find the killers of a school principal, Lazarus Baloyi, who was shot dead at Buyani Primary School in Finetown last June.

"To this day, no one has been arrested for that incident. Cele, please tell your officers to work because when we go to the station to do follow-ups on Baloyi's murder case progress, they threaten to arrest us for interfering with police business.

"Earlier this year, my colleague was hijacked in Ennerdale. We searched for the vehicle with officials from Tracker and located it in Finetown. We called the police to the scene, and they came. However, they told us there was no case because the car was recovered."

Thuputlela said there was a well-known drug den in Ennerdale, called Little Mexico.

"Police only go there to collect bribes instead of making arrests. I can point out several houses here in Finetown, where drugs are sold, but I fear for my life because the police will inform those drug lords," he said.

Cele reprimanded Thuputlela, cautioning him against calling for vigilantism.

"We have established that there are officers who collude with criminals against good officers. There are people sent by criminals to fight with certain officers," said Cele.

"I want to warn you. Those calling for war against the police must stop saying that.

"You can't come here and make a call of war against the police. You can't do that. You should be reporting those officers, not declaring war on the police. You are giving space to criminals and putting the police against the community. Criminals become happy when you fight with the police."

Cele added that he understood the behaviour of some officers had angered residents. 

He promised to act against the officers who residents had complained about.

Speaking later, Dimakatso Maine called on the police to speedily arrest those behind the murders of her two children.

Her children were among those killed in last month's mass shooting.

"Since 29 October, we haven't heard anything from the police. I don't know if my children's killers are arrested or not. I want answers," Maine said.

Residents repeatedly complained about the Ennerdale police station, accusing officers of failing to protect them.

They accused police officers of taking bribes and working with criminals and drug lords.

Some called on Cele to reshuffle the entire personnel at the police station.

They called on new officers to be deployed to Ennerdale police station, and those from Ennerdale be sent elsewhere.

Fatal shooting

Cele called the imbizo after the shooting of 11 people in the area.

On 29 October, four armed men attempted to rob Thabang Kose, 22, who was selling roasted chicken on the street outside his home.

He retaliated.

Residents noticed the altercation and threw stones at the robbers' vehicle.

They drove away and returned on foot, fatally shooting Thabang, his sister, Pinkie Kose, 41, a friend of his, and Sanele Makhoba, 20.

They wounded Delani Blignaut, 21, whose arm has since been amputated.

As they were walking along the street, they then killed Zikhona Gcwabe, 31, and her friend.

They later shot and wounded Nolufefe Maloyi, 41. Maloyi later also died.

Cele told residents there was a person of interest who the police were talking to.