Body of murdered man found at Itsani

There was drama at a murder scene when suspected drunk onlookers exchanged blows and others swore at relatives of the dead man.

The ugly scenario unfolded at Itsani village outside Thohoyandou on Sunday morning, while people gathered to have a look at the body of a local man found dead on a street in the village. The body, with multiple stab and hack wounds, was found in a pool of blood by people on their way to a funeral in the village. Allegations at the scene were rife that his death could be the result of gang warfare in the village.

Another theory is that the man was seen at a local tavern enjoying liquor with friends, while others allege that the man and his friends gave revellers a tough time by provoking people at will.

Neighbours living next to the scene allege they heard noises and cries at around 03:00. "There was a lot of noise here, with a man pleading for mercy and also apologising. We could not go out and help or see what was happening. We were only surprised by the body of a man who is known here. Crime is rife here and we don't go out at night for fear of being attacked and robbed," said the neighbour, who did not want to be identified.

While people were gathered there, a man allegedly in a drunken stupor arrived and swore at the onlookers and claimed the dead man was his brother. An ugly fight ensued, but those present diffused the situation.

As if that was not enough, two men arrived and swore at people, including relatives of the dead man while he lay dead on the street. They left after saying they had been with the dead man the previous night and that they were touched by his death.

Community leader Wilfred Mahwasane, the Magalangwe Block 2 civic chairperson, said crime had become a worrying factor in the village. "We have a big problem here and this needs all of us to be united against the scourge. Together with the police, we can win this war," he said.
Mahwasane further indicated that they had measures in place to fight the scourge of crime in the village. "We are always speaking out against crime during community meetings and the traditional leader, Chief Norman Makumbane, is also in full support of the initiative, but not all seem willing to help," added Mahwasane.

Thohoyandou police spokesperson Const Avhafarei Tshiovhe confirmed the incident and warned residents not to venture into the night as it is not safe to do so. "Many crimes are as a result of people frequenting liquor outlets in the night. We urge our communities to be vigilant and, if moving around in the dark, should do so in groups."

The police have opened a murder docket and arrested four suspects in connection with the incident. They appeared in court on Tuesday and their case was postponed to 28 August. They were not granted bail and investigations are continuing.

Date:18 July 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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