Township's stars shine

Though Reiger Park is rife with gangsterism, many role models have come from the East Rand township's streets.

• Kaizer Chiefs striker Bernard Parker, who also had a blossoming career overseas, reportedly grew up in a Reiger Park family so poor that he could not afford to buy soccer boots.

Parker, 26, a product of the Soccer School of Excellence, made his professional debut for Cape Town's Hellenic.

In 2009, he signed for Eredivisie outfit FC Twente in The Netherlands, and later got called up to play for Bafana Bafana.

After stints with a number of European clubs, Parker is now Kaizer Chiefs' top marksman.

• Another celebrated sportsman to come out of Reiger Park is former Springbok and Stormers fullback Conrad Jantjies.

Jantjies, 32, who has in recent times been struggling with an injury, represented his country in rugby, in cricket and in soccer at junior level.

• Self-confessed hacker Alistair Peterson is understood to have had encounters with Reiger Park gangs at an early age.

He became notorious for hacking into the computers of South Africa's four biggest banks between 2004 and 2007, netting a cool R55-million before being caught by the now defunct Scorpions.

Now a rehabilitated IT businessman, Peterson spent several months in jail after a plea bargain with the Scorpions.

He was released from jail in 2009 and last month helped the Hawks crack the R42-million New Year's Day Post Bank heist, which led to three suspects being arrested.