[VIDEO] Young thugs stab business owners in Polokwane CBD

The Central Business District Business Association (CBDBA) has declared war against a group of young thugs terrorising the CBD, after three of their members were stabbed in the span of 30 minutes on Monday afternoon.

Earlier that day the association was alerted that the group of thugs were on the corner of Paul Kruger and Rissik streets, yielding pangas and other dangerous weapons.

The association’s chairperson, Salman Hamid says they mobilised their unit including the Community Policing Forum (CPF) and taxi associations with the intention to stop the guys from whatever they were planning. Once they got there, the group of thugs dispersed and allegedly damaged a vehicle from one of the taxi associations in the process.

“We then decided to retreat and meet up again at 13:00 at a place where we knew they would be trying to rob people again. The group is well known to the community and today was not the first time they tried their nasty business. It is the same group of around 15 people that are responsible for robbing old pensioners, pick-pocketing and smash and grab incidents in the area. Whenever they are arrested they get released a few days later.”

He says that on the same day they tried to rob a 75-year-old woman who refused to give away her money and they beat her up.

She fell to the floor and they invaded her private parts trying to look for her money. Unfortunately they managed to get away before the police arrived.

According to Hamid, the group made their way to Market Street between Jorrison and Devenish streets where they stabbed three members of the association.

In video footage in possession of Polokwane Observer, a man is seen approaching the counter at one of the shops where he stops for about two seconds before stabbing the shop owner with a panga in his face, and another man is seen doing the same from behind, the suspects then fled the scene and repeated the same modus operandi at three other shops before they left the CBD.

Hamid says there was no robbery despite a police report from Provincial Police Spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo who says it was a business robbery.

“The complainant was allegedly robbed of R1 300 and three cellphones. The matter was reported to the police at around 14:15.”

He says another business robbery took place in Dahl Street where around eight men with pangas demanded money from the cashier.

“They then locked the staff in the cashier’s office and when the complainant checked he allegedly found that an amount of R80 000 and a cellphone were taken. We are still investigating whether the two incidents are related. No one has been arrested.”

Hamid says the association will not back down but will rather intensify their visibility and are pleading with the police to assist.

He says Provincial Police Commissioner, Nneke Ledwaba had directed the Polokwane police to institute a 72-hour action plan.

Warning: Graphic Content