Alleged gang war victim laid to rest

Mkhonza was shot and killed in his car in front of the Barberton Hospital on Easter Sunday after an informal soccer game. His car was set alight and burned.

Mphatsi, which loosely translates to “leader” in English, as Mkhonza was affectionately nicknamed, had an ambition to one day become an ANC representative councillor for ward 45.

He had held two previous positions as a community liaison officer when there were renovation works at Mhola Primary School in Emjindini and during the construction of Stimela Crossing Mall.

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Mkhonza is said to have played a leadership role in ensuring that the youth and the public in general were employed during these projects, hence his nickname.

He was, however, gunned down execution style on Easter Sunday in the Barberton General Hospital’s parking lot, and died before he could realise his dream of being a councillor one day.

He had helped to transport a friend to the hospital who had been shot earlier after a soccer match that had taken place at the Phase II Sports Ground at Ext 10, Emjindini.

Many believe it was a targeted shooting. According to police reports, six cartridges were found at the scene of his death. His childhood dream car, a BMW 323 sedan, was also set alight in the process and burned. Visibly upset mourners gathered at his home at Phumula Section before the cortège could leave for the Graveville Cemetery.

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There was a heavy police presence outside his home entrance in the street, as armed units and specialist teams surrounded the section. There was also undercover police in civilian clothes among the crowd. Inside the tent, Pr Kunene asked the mourners not to seek any revenge on Mkhonza’s death, even if they might know his killers.

“Revenge is not for us, but God will pay for us,” he said In a joint eulogy, Willy de Voice and Mawethu Ngwenya recalled happier times and reminisced about their friendship with Mphatsi.

Ngwenya said: “Mphatsi had a great personality. He was always the life and soul of every party. The funny thing about Mphatsi is that he was not a good dancer.” De Voice said: “He was truly a Mphatsi.

He attended his primary schooling at Mhola Primary School and completed his high schooling at KaMhola High School. A true Barbertonian.”

His nephew, Simon Mhlongo, blasted the whispered rumours that spread after Mkhonza’s death, hitting out at what the family believed to be false stories surfacing about his past.

“The whole family is devastated about his death. He was a breadwinner for his family. He was taking care of his sister, younger brother and his two kids, a girl and boy. He started to take care of his family after the passing of his mother. Now they are left on their own,” said Mhlongo.

“The family is still traumatised. We are still not coping after we saw his lifeless body lying in the pool of blood. His kids were taken there and his brother and sister.” Mhlongo further lambasted the police for failing to make a breakthrough in the case, even though the incident had happened in full view of many. “As a family we are living in fear that we might be attacked,” said Mhlongo.

Some mourners wore personalised T-shirts bearing his figure. A cortège of private cars and hordes of walkers followed the white hearse to Mkhonza’s final resting place.

At the graveside, the police watched from a distance as the hearse carrying his coffin arrived. His coffin was covered with a blanket before being lowered to the ground and his grave filled in with soil.

The plot was marked with a simple plaque bearing his full name, age and dates of birth and death.

Meanwhile, the police in an issued statement said they are still investigating why Mkhonza was killed, though the strongest theory is that it was in revenge for the ongoing gang killings that had engulfed the once quite and peaceful township since 2016. It is alleged that the shootings are related to gangsterism.

The shootings have forced residents to be indoors before 20:00 for safety reasons, because gun shots can be heard around that time onwards.