editorial comment

Unless something is done soon to allay the fears of residents and dampen flaring tempers between warring rural tribal factions inside the Nguni Hostel in Vosloorus, the volatile situation could lead to widespread loss of life at hostels in Gauteng in the new year.

These are the sentiments of a hostel i-Nduna who is in hiding. He confided his fears to Kathorus MAIL about what he described as a highly flammable situation at the Nguni Hostel. This follows several weeks of heightened tensions inside the compound which lead to a man being shot and killed and other injured by unknown assailants at the hostel last month.\

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Information obtained by Kathorus MAIL from several reliable residents inside the hostel, and confirmed by the Vosloorus SAPS, reveal all has not been well between hostel residents who hail from the KwaZulu-Natal region of Mahlabathini and their rival kinsmen from Inkandla.

Meanwhile, troubled by the news of factional rivalry among his subjects, Zulu monarch King Zwelithini is said to have sent a high-level delegation of negotiators to quell the fires at the hostel and to restore peace between his people.

According to sources who attended the meeting, attended by izi-Nduna from nearby hostels around Kathorus, on December 7 at the hostel, the gathering was inconclusive as not all the representatives were present. Most of them had already left their hostels in fear of the prevailing tension.

Nobody really knows what led to the initial shooting, but the matter is said to have troubled the Zulu monarch who is believed to be trying to prevent the anger of the warring factions from migrating from hostels in Gauteng to tribal settlements in KZN and back to Gauteng when workers return in the new year.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source spoke about a list bearing the names of izi-Nduna to be assassinated by hitmen from one of the warring groups. The source said his name is also on the list.

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Meanwhile, scores of other izi-Nduna are known to be in hiding or have already fled the volatile situation at the Vosloorus Nguni Hostel and returned to their respective rural home villages in KZN.

A number of taxi drivers who reside at the hostel have also lashed out at the killing of innocent people during tribal clashes and are calling for an end to the blood-letting. They described all Zulu-speaking residents at the hostel as “children of the same father” who have no business fighting and killing one another.

With only a few of their leaders remaining, many of the residents feel vulnerable without their rural representatives. Scores more, most of them migrant workers from various parts of KZN, are expected to leave the hostel and head home for the Christmas holidays.

Many other residents who will be remaining behind at the hostel believe the Zulu King wants the fighting between the two groups resolved during the holidays by izi-Nduna from both sides. The same sentiment has been expressed by the police at the nearby local Vosloorus SAPS. We are keeping our fingers crossed that peace returns to the Nguni Hostel.

There’s definitely something in the air about this particular period of the year that seems to awaken the animalistic psyche that lies dormant in all of us.

Just look at all the heinous crimes criminals unleash on their victims.

For some illogical reason, people seem possessed by some demonic evil that makes crimes such as murder, rape and child molestation so brutal and grotesque. We have become a nation lacking in forms of humanity and compassion towards our fellow human beings.

The high levels of crime in our communities are unheard of since the old days of civil unrest in Kathorus. What is sad about this whole affair is that many criminals committing these atrocious crimes were in fact not yet born, or were themselves just young children growing up in a violent and troubled society.

As the old adage aptly states: violence begets violence. We are indeed living in frightful times. It is scary that a large percentage of people with warped minds are in our midst every hour of the day and night.

It is these violent and crazy, murderous people who prey on the gullible and helpless among us without a shade of care or compassion; who make living life in peace and harmony with fellow human beings this time of the year such a fearful experience.

Wishing you all a safe and blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year.

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