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Blood stains on the floor where the shooting occurred at Mutele.

Bloodbath at village tavern

 

The scene at the Wanga Tavern at Ha-Mutele outside Thohoyandou resembled the set of an action movie after armed robbers had stormed the business on Saturday evening, interrupting the fun revellers were having.

They ordered all patrons to lie down and shot and killed a man and seriously wounded two others. Scores of the patrons were robbed of their cash and cell phones.

Three women working at the tavern were abducted by the robbers but were released unharmed after a while.

Information received in the villages is that three more businesses were targeted and robbed over the same weekend, spreading shock terror and fear throughout the peaceful villages.

A victim and survivor of the robbery said he had just finished his first beer “when all hell broke loose.” Mr Joel Mutele (41), a frequent customer at the tavern, said they were enjoying their drinks and good music when, out of nowhere, a man entered and dashed for the counter as if he was going to buy something. "It happened so fast, like a movie, and without warning. The man shot the man who was next to the juke box. The wounded man fell down and was robbed of his belongings.”

According to him, a man who was dancing was also shot. “Mr Tshibalo Mabaya, who had bought me a beer, was shot after refusing to hand over his phone. He tried to leave the building but was shot again at the door, and we only found that he had died after the robbers had left," he said.

The owner of the tavern, Mr Mukondeleli Mutele, said that he was not there when the incident took place. He said the robbers seemed to have information about the establishment and knew what they were doing.

"They took advantage of the fact that I was not around and that the security guard had gone to the other business. I suspect it is a big syndicate because this same weekend, four businesses were targeted by the robbers. We are no longer safe here and it saddens us that, after robbing people, they go to the extent of killing them.”

Mr Deon Erlank, who owns the Masisi Filling Station, told Limpopo Mirror how he was hit on the head with a gun when the robbers attacked him at his home. He thanked the community for their support. 

A community meeting called by Thovhele William Mutele was held on Monday, where residents sought ways to address the scourge of crime. Mutele said that he was worried about crime in his area and that he was even more worried that this incident had involved the loss of a life.

"After learning of this tragic incident, we called residents together in an effort to seek a way forward and to condemn the heinous act. There is no way we can stop the scourge of crime if we do not stand up and fight crime together," he said.

The dead man's eldest child, Ms Julia Munyai, said the family was heartbroken. "His death was unexpected. The fact that he left home a happy man and came back as a corpse leaves us with so much sorrow.” The deceased will be buried tomorrow (Saturday).

Limpopo police spokesperson Lt Moatshe Ngoepe urged anyone with information about the incident to phone Lt-Col William Ramokhubedu at 082 499 8389 or the nearest police station or the crime-stop number 0860 010 111 or the crime line SMS 32211.

Shortly before our going to press, we were informed that the police in Masisi had arrested four people, aged between 37 and 57, for public violence and malicious damage to property.  According to Ngoepe, the arrests emanated from the unrest on Tuesday, when community members went on the rampage along the streets and ended up attacking the local police station.

Thovhele William Mutele adressing a community meeting after the robbery.

Robbery victim Joel Mutele narrates his ordeal at the hands of the robbers to the community.

Wanga tavern owner, Mr Mukondeleli Mutele, photographed at the windows broken by the robbers before attacking the business.

 

Date:05 May 2017

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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