Man (32) stabbed to death at tavern

The Vuwani police are investigating a case of murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, after a man was stabbed to death and his spouse severely injured at a local tavern at Mugomeli-Tshifulanani on Sunday night.

According to Ms Maria Sivhaga (30), the incident occurred at the Mugomeli Restaurant, which is in fact a mixture of a shop and a tavern, at around 22:30.

Sivhaga visited the tavern with her spouse, Mr Maluta Elvis Netshivhumbe (32), so that he could buy something with her R200 bank note and give her the change. “I went with him to the back of the building and we saw there were people gambling with cards a short distance away,” Sivhaga wept as she talked. “The moment the three men saw me handing Elvis the money, they rushed towards us and attacked us with knives.”

Sivhaga was stabbed in the left hand and right knee. Netshivhumbe tried to run away, but the attackers cornered him in a nearby mealie field and stabbed him to death. “All the other people who were around us ran away for fear of also being attacked,” said Sivhaga. “I ran to the front door for help, but the people inside the tavern quickly shut me out.” The thugs then forcefully took Sivhaga and Netshivhumbe's mobile phones.

All three suspects are said to have come from a nearby village to drink at Mugomeli. According to community members, who spoke on condition of anonymity, a local man was seen in the company of the three suspects.

“We supplied the police with helpful information regarding the local man, but he had since fled the village,” said the local traditional leader, Vhavenda Vho-Rathogwa Ramavhulela. “He should just come back and help identify the suspects. We are not saying he did anything wrong.”

The deceased's mother, Ms Flora Munyai, condemned the attitude of Mugomeli tavern's managers, who shut the security doors in Sivhaga's face when she rushed to them for help. “They didn't even call the police or ambulance,” she said. “All that they care about is money. That tavern must be closed down.”

Munna Ndi Nnyi's director, Mr Bardwell Mufunwaini, condemned the incident and said that the police and other related stakeholders had formed a project against crime, called the Lupenyo Project, last year. “This was after the SAPS agreed that there is a high rate of crimes in this area,” Mufunwaini said. “But the police have been doing nothing to take the project forward.”

Limpopo Media Centre's communications officer, Const Tsietsi Lamola, confirmed the incident and said that three suspects had finally been arrested on Monday. “A 32-year-old man was stabbed to death with a bottle while at a liquor outlet,” said Lamola. “However, the suspects will appear in court soon.” “Anyone with information pertaining to this case is welcome to assist in terms of police investigations.”

Netshivhumbe is survived by his two children, Surprise (9) and Zelda (2), his spouse and mother.

Date:07 March 2014

By: Tshifhiwa Mukwevho

Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho was born in 1984 in Madombidzha village, not far from Louis Trichardt in the Limpopo Province. After submitting articles for roughly a year for Limpopo Mirror's youth supplement, Makoya, he started writing for the main newspaper. He is a prolific writer who published his first book, titled A Traumatic Revenge in 2011. It focusses on life on the street and how to survive amidst poverty. His second book titled The Violent Gestures of Life was published in 2014.

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