Well-known Itsani businesswoman shot dead during robbery

The murder of a businesswoman at Itsani outside Thohoyandou has left the community in fear and doubting their safety.

The victim, identified as Avhatakali Sylvia Dagame (50), was shot dead when three suspects entered her home. Dagame, a well-known matshonisa (micro-lender) in the area, was killed on Thursday, 19 September, at about 23:15.

Vhembe SAPS spokesperson W/O Vuledzani Dathi said information available to them suggests that three unknown male suspects entered the house through an unlocked door and demanded money from the deceased. Shots were heard from the house, and the suspects were later seen fleeing.

“At this stage, it is not clear how much cash was taken from the deceased. The suspects are unknown and still at large,” he said.

The murder has sparked calls from residents for increased police patrols. Community leader Michael Gumula said crime was at an all-time high in the village. “Criminals are on the loose in our village. We are having sleepless nights, with electricity cables being at the top of the criminals’ shopping list. Day in and day out, we have reports of cables being stolen, which are hard to replace as they are very expensive,” he said.

Gumula added that the latest incident had left the community fearful. “We are no longer safe here. If criminals have the guts to follow people to their homes and do what they did, it is a great concern to all of us. We are calling on the police to intensify their patrols and arrest all the criminals; otherwise, we are no longer safe,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police are urging anyone with information that can assist in cracking the case to come forward. Information that could help apprehend the culprits can be given to the investigating officer, Sgt Takalani Mulaudzi, on (082) 487-6319.

Date:26 September 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. He currently writes on a freelance basis, covering human rights issues, court news and entertainment.

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