More alleged xenophobic attacks in area

Xenophobic attacks have erupted in the Sinthumule and Kutama area and it seems as if Zimbabwean citizens have to bear the brunt of the community's frustrations with escalating crime levels.

Foreigners, especially those from South Africa's northern neighbour, are accused of being involved in a spate of housebreakings. Residents of the various villages are accusing them of breaking into houses and stealing household goods such as flat-screen TV sets. In the past couple of weeks, thieves targeted residents from Tshiozwi, Gogobole, Ravele, Madabani, Madodonga, Tshikwarani, Maebane and Muraleni.

One of the residents, Mr Sai Mukhuba, said criminals had taken over the area. They apparently roam the streets, terrorizing residents at will. “We are at the mercy of these thugs and we need to act in order to stop them in their tracks,” he said. “We gave all the Zimbabweans just few days to vacate our villages, because they are giving us problems. Community members are now angry and we will take the law into our hands. We don’t care whether they have married SA women or not, we are raiding them day and night,” said Mukhuba.

Mukhuba said the area had become one of the worst crime zones in the area. “We are here as concerned citizens of this area. We need to put our heads together and see if we can come up with strategies that can help us fight crime. Our area has become a dangerous place to live in,” he said. “We are tired of the anarchy caused by thugs. We are tired of crime that is taking place while we watch helplessly.”

According to Mukhuba, the community needs to devise a strategy to fight crime and must not wait for the police to act. “The crime rate was becoming too high in our area. We realized that the police cannot be everywhere, so we decided to stand up and fight against this cancer that is destroying our community,” he said.

A Zimbabwean citizen residing in the area, Mr Zomonte Zhamoroka, says they are not all criminals. “This is just to show that we do not support crime and that most of us are here in the country legally. We are here because the conditions are not favourable back home, but we are law-abiding and make an honest living. We cannot afford to be chased away from this area simply because of a few people who are used to crime and are not prepared to change,” he said.

Const Thilivhali Malowa of the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS said that they were encouraged that the community had shown the willingness to work hand in hand with the police. “We encourage our communities to come forward with any information that could be used to prosecute perpetrators of crime successfully and (we promote the idea) that communities organize themselves into policing forums that will help fight crime,” she said.

Date:17 April 2015

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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