Concerned residents at Pankop in Mpumalanga are calling on government to deal harshly with criminals and crime in their area. They say they struggle with people breaking into their homes and also robbing their businesses.
Several families have been robbed of cash and their cars forcefully taken from their homes. This came out during a community meeting with police.
Some parents say they sometimes have no choice, but to leave their children alone at home or in the care of others when they go to work but this has now become very dangerous.
Police official Zacharia Mmekoa from Mametlhake Police Station has appealed to the community to work with them to combat the scourge.
“The problem is in trust action. Those people who are making illegal loan sharks (sic), they can report them to us. I think this crime will go down, will decrease, and again the problems of the (foreign spaza shop owners), because they don’t want to open the bank accounts. They keep money on them. That invites the criminals. That’s why crime is increasing here.”
The communities are urged to form street committees to fight against crime.
Meanwhile, the murder case against Mugiyo Mabunda, who allegedly shot and killed his wife Tebogo Matsane Mabunda, will begin in the Mpumalanga High Court this morning.
Mabunda is alleged to have shot his wife 10 times outside their Stonehenge home in Mbombela last year during an argument.
Members of labour union Nehawu, which Mabunda was also a member and shopsteward, will be picketing outside the court in solidarity with her family.
Nehawu says the brutal murder of their member has highlighted how bad the issue of gender-based violence is.
Mabunda is currently out on R10 000 bail.
