Bloodshed continues in ongoing gang war

The hit-style murders and elimination of suspected gang members in the Vhembe District continue unabated. The past week saw another killing in what appears to be a systematic and ruthless culling of gang leaders.

A 50-year-old man, Calvin “Vha J” Sinthumule from Vondwe village, was ambushed and fatally shot at Mukula village last Wednesday afternoon (17^th). Sinthumule was alleged to be one of the top leaders of the well-known group called Tshiswole or Jerusalem. Many members of the group have been shot and killed in alleged gang-related killings in the Vhembe District over the past two years.

In the latest incident, Sinthumule’s killers apparently blocked his car as he approached a big hump next to a T-junction while driving towards his village. Several shots were fired at him in broad daylight. According to sources from his home village of Vondwe, Sinthumule was a very quiet person who used to operate a tombstone business at Vondwe Block A, Lavune section.

A resident of Vondwe village, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Sinthumule had used to help the poor in the village with free groceries and had also assisted with tombstones to those in need during times of bereavement.

Provincial police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said the police had been summoned to the scene, following reports of gunfire. “Upon arrival, they found a male victim with multiple gunshot wounds inside his vehicle that was parked on the roadside. Emergency medical personnel transported the victim to the local hospital. Sadly, he later succumbed to the injuries,” he said.

Col Ledwaba added that the police had opened a case of murder and said that the motive behind the incident was still unknown. The police are appealing to anyone who may have information about the incident to come forward and assist with the investigation. People with information about the incident can contact investigating officer Capt Rasilingwane Mawela on 082 414 7763.

But the bloodshed is of great concern to many people in Vhembe who believe that sinister forces are at play. Many also believe that it is not in the interest of the police to stop the killings.

The gang-related killings started around 2013, with the shooting of Mr Thanyani Makhado of Makwarela. His brother, Mr Lufuno Makhado, was next, and he was shot and killed in April 2015. Just as the family was still mourning his death, another of the brothers, Mr Tshilidzi Makhado (36), was shot execution-style at a stop sign at Thohoyandou Block G. He had just dropped off his children at school. This murder happened in May 2015.

Since then, the killings have become more frequent. The past few years have also marked the emergence of groups such as Tshisole, Jerusalem, and the BMF (Black Mafia Family), whose trademark clothing was camouflage uniforms. The uniforms have diminished since the start of the killings and are hardly seen in public.

So far, at least15 victims believed to be members of rival gangs have been killed in the same fashion. In most of the cases, two or three assassins in unmarked vehicles are involved. The targeted victim would be sprayed with a hail of bullets, fired mostly from pistols and high-calibre rifles. The victims were all shot at close range.

One aspect that is seriously missing is the arrest of suspects. This has sparked speculation that the police are not too enthusiastic to get involved. One thing that has remained a mystery is the reason behind the killings. The members are believed to have taken an oath of secrecy as no one is prepared to speak openly about the goings-on between the gangs. Speculations are that the big fight is over the lucrative drug and illegal cigarette market. Some are alleged to be involved in property and business hijackings, while some allegations of short-changing on ill-gotten spoils are also floating around.

Date:26 April 2024

By: Victor Mukwevho

Victor Mukwevho Ne-vumbani joined the Mirror during it's inception in 1990. He joined the SABC newsroom in 1995, and was known by  listeners as "A u fhedzisela ari". He was a news editor for The Tembisan Newspaper from 2007 to 2015. He rejoined the Limpopo Mirror newspaper in June 2022 as a freelance journalist.

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