Gang Violence escalates
Lately an angry members of the community including school going children and women picketed outside the Eesterhoek Magistrate, uttering slogans and carrying placards opposing bail to a 26-year-old man together with his four friends who are facing charges of kidnapping, gang-raping and the murder of the man’s 19-year-old girlfriend who was even handcuffed, stoned to death and thrown in a shallow ditch.
ELUKWATINI – Barely three months after the chaotic unrest which resulted from the arrest of members of a gangster group called Wrong Turns for terrorising the community from this small town, it seems there has been an emergence of other gangsters who are also on a mission to brutally kill its victims.
Mpumalanga News learnt that of late the community is being terrorized by new groups of gangsters who call themselves Vandals and Basesikhaleni groups.
Members of the community accused these groups of the latest murder of three victims from Nhlazatshe 1 and 3 who were killed on separate incidents in the past few weeks.“One of the victims was found with sliced body parts including her breasts and privates parts, the other one had his skull opened and third one was recently killed and dropped at the taxi rank,” said Mr James Mhlanga a concerned member of the community.
Lately an angry members of the community including school going children and women picketed outside the Eesterhoek Magistrate, uttering slogans and carrying placards opposing bail to a 26-year-old man together with his four friends who are facing charges of kidnapping, gang-raping and the murder of the man’s 19-year-old girlfriend who was even handcuffed, stoned to death and thrown in a shallow ditch.
The gruesome murder of the 19-year- old Ntando Rebecca Shabangu , a learner from Hlabangamehlo Secondary School on the outskirts of Elukwatini and Tjakastad left many boiling for her killers blood. She was last seen with her boyfriend at a local tavern on July 10. Ntando’s handcuff body almost in a decomposing state was only found five days later after he had an argument with her 26-year-old Mr Elvis Thokozane Nkosi.According to police, an argument ensued while the two were drinking liquor from a local tavern. It is alleged that Nkosi with his four co-accused namely; Mr Mlungisi Nkambule (18), Mr Jabulani Nkambule (20), Mr Mthobisi Maseko (21), Mr Mandla Manqoba Matse (25) then led the deceased to an isolated area near mountains where they gang raped the victim, tied her with handcuffs and stoned her to death after which they threw her body in a shallow ditch.
