"Alcohol murder" - when will it stop?

"For how long will it continue...?" This is the question asked by numerous residents of the Vhembe district, after the umpteenth suspected alcohol-related murder was reported earlier this week.

The community of Ha-Tshisele along the Punda Maria Road outside Thohoyandou on Monday had a rude awakening when a bloodied body was found sprawled in some grass at a disused workshop. The body of Mr Isai Simango (33) was found in the early hours of Monday, with several stab wounds and gashes, reminiscent of stoning.

Also found at the scene were a broken bottle neck and two bloodied stones, which are believed to be the murder weapons. There were also traces of blood on the fence, which could mean the deceased had tried to run to the fence but was caught and brought back next to a concrete slab.

The deceased’s wife, Ms Laura Baloyi (27), said it was shortly after 18:00 the previous evening, when her husband insisted that they go to a nearby tavern. “I told my husband that it was late and that I did not want us to go there as I feared for our safety, but he insisted. He was in a jolly mood and danced throughout the evening."

She said she started sensing danger when an unknown woman enquired about her origins, "and I could not grasp what she was saying and she left." Another man allegedly approached her and also enquired about her nationality.

She added  that she called the husband aside as she could see the people were up to something. According to her, they left the tarvern after 20:00, and two men appeared from the darkness and confronted them. "They wanted money and our cell phones, and while they were assaulting my husband, I managed to free myself by taking my jacket off my body and running for safety. I alerted those nearby and we searched everywhere but could not locate him, until he was found in the morning,” she said.

Baloyi, who was crying hysterically, said she did not know what to do as her husband was the sole breadwinner. “We stayed together here and I do not know how I am going to face life on my own. We have four children who are now fatherless; it is really tough,” she said.

She added that she would never forget how the men had manhandled her and, had she not run away, she would be dead by now. “They were vicious and all they wanted was to kill. I think they thought my husband had lots of money because he was also wearing a pair of expensive Converse running shoes,” she said.

The deceased’s family friend, Ms Martha Baloyi  (30), said the couple visited her on Sunday. “I told them not to go as it was late, and it was as if I was sensing something bad, but he refused and they went away. We have lost a good man who loved his family,” she added.

Thohoyandou police spokesperson Maj Mashudu Malelo confirmed the incident, saying that they had embarked on an intensive manhunt for the killers. “No one has been arrested so far, and we are appealing to anyyone who might have witnessed something to come forward with the information that could assist us in cracking the case,” he said.

News - Date: 06 July 2015

Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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