Mnandi is a Zulu word which means ‘nice’, but Mnandi Road is a secluded road, notorious for muggings by criminals who take refuge among the rocks and construction debris in the area.
The road is the only link to some residents’ employment in Bridle Park.
Recently, three security guards at the nearby American School had a bizarre encounter with eight thugs who compelled them to eat raw eggs at gunpoint before disappearing with their cellphones and R1 850 in cash.
“Eight of them emerged from the rocks brandishing knives and guns and forced us to eat raw eggs they were holding,” said one of the victims, Herman Makgotho.
“They put eggs in our mouths before smashing them with the butts of their guns. Thereafter they searched us, took our phones and money before vanishing in the field.”
Makgotho said they didn’t bother to report the case to the police because they did not have any hope that the criminals would be arrested. “We thought that making a report to police would be a waste of time,” said Makgotho.
Another Diepsloot resident, Gladys Khumalo who is a domestic worker in Bridle Park, was accosted by two armed young thugs sitting on a rock in the same area. “They jumped from the rock and pointed a gun at me demanding money and my cellphone. I told them that I do not have money and they took my phone and walked away into the bush,” said Khumalo.
She did not report the case to the police. “What is the point of reporting a case with incomplete information because police will ask me for the names of the muggers and their residential addresses,” said Khumalo.
She added that Diepsloot police were aware of the muggings along Mnandi Road, and revealed that a man was shot dead at the same spot in 2012 by muggers when he attempted to run away.
Khumalo’s employer, Julie Suddaby said her helper was mugged just a stone’s throw away from Diepsloot Police Station. “It is a disgrace that people get mugged in front of a police station,” fumed Suddaby.
Diepsloot councillor, Refilwe Mathebula, lamented the high rate of muggings along the road and described it as ‘unacceptable’. “This road is now a no-go area because people are mugged every day and the members of [police] from Diepsloot Police Station are aware of that,” said Mathebula.
Diepsloot police spokesperson Warrant Officer Daniel Mavimbela said Mnandi Road fell outside their jurisdiction.
Olievenhoutbosh Police Station confirmed that Mnandi Road falls under their area of patrol, but efforts to get more details from the acting station commander Captain Eddy Makgato drew blanks.
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