spoilers, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

spoilers n.

[proper name Spoilers, a leading gang in the 1940s, then applied to all such young men, gang members or not; ult. title of a popular film]

(S.Afr.) township thugs or criminals.

[1952		Drum (Johannesburg) May 40: The Spoilers take their name from a gangster film, and their operations are centred around the Pimville and Moroka areas [...] Spoilers dare not come to town during the day [DSAE]].
1963		Wilson & Mafeje Langa 22: The townees or tsotsis are also called ‘location boys’, ‘ooclever’, bright boys, and spoilers, after a gang which terrorized Alexandra Township in Johannesburg.
1964		G. Gordon Four People 237: ‘Spoilers’ [...] That’s what they call these damn agitators.