Evicted Kuruleni family living in agony

The Tshabalala family is living in agony since the community chased them away from their home in Kuruleni outside Ha-Mashamba.

It has been two weeks since the Tshabalalas were chased out of their home. They had to be rescued by the police and have since been residing at the Levubu police station.

Community members who were apparently fed up with the alleged crimes committed by a family member, Charles Tshabalala, vented their frustration on the family. Charles (28) was accused of terrorising the community over the past seven months.

Meanwhile, Charles briefly appeared in the Levubu Periodical Court on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting one of the community members. He was remanded in custody.

The spokesperson of the Levubu police station, W/O Solly Mukhola, said they were still trying to seek alternative accommodation for the family. “Their safety is threatened by the community and we can’t take them there. They are still being accommodated here at the police station,” he said.

One of the family members, Ms Betty Tshabalala, said the family was living in agony, knowing that they could not return to their home. She said the situation had affected them direly. “We cannot go back to that village; those people would probably do evil deeds to get rid of us,” she said.

Mr Wisani Mabasa said the community had resolved that the Tshabalala family would no longer be allowed in the village. He said the community had asked the police to go and collect some of the belongings the family had left behind. “They have been informed to go back in the presence of the police and collect some of their belongings they left behind,” he said.

Date:03 October 2014

By: Phathutshedzo Luvhengo

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