Popular Sibasa hawker killed in suspected robbery

The brutal murder of a man in Miluwani, Thohoyandou, has shocked the community and highlighted the ongoing scourge of crime. Julian Nkovani, a 40-year-old Mozambican national who worked as a hawker next to Sibasa Post Office, was murdered in what is believed to be a robbery as he was on his way home from work at Sibasa.

The incident occurred at Miluwani on Tuesday, 19 March, at around 21:00. Nkovani was stabbed several times from behind. According to the Vhembe SAPS’s spokesperson, Warrant Officer Vuledzani Dathi, the police had received a report of a murder that had happened in the village. “We proceeded to the crime scene and, on arrival, were shown the body of a dead man. Mr Bernando Nkovani, who was at the scene, identified him as his son, Julian Nkovani. Medical personnel who arrived at the scene declared him dead at the scene. He had six stab wounds to the back of his body. The motive of the attack is, at this stage, unknown. We have since opened a murder docket, and investigations are ongoing. The killers are unknown at this stage,” he said.

The murder has reignited concerns about crime and safety in the area. Community leader Mr Silas Sandani, who is the chairperson of the Unit C Extension 2 Civic where Miluwani is situated, said residents were deeply concerned about crime in the area. “This is not an isolated incident; people are being mugged and robbed at all times. This is deeply disturbing. People do not feel safe here, and the situation is exacerbated by many undocumented nationals roaming the streets. We had a CPF structure here, but it became dysfunctional. We are planning to hold a meeting this Easter weekend to discuss the issue of crime and hopefully revive the CPF structure. We are also concerned about police visibility, and we urge them to patrol our area,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police have appealed for help in tracing the killers. Information can be provided to the investigating officer, Sgt Rendani Nemakonde, on 078 390 3393.

Date:29 March 2024

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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