The ushering in of the New Year at Tshikunda outside Thohoyandou was marred by attacks on people by thugs.

At a time when the world was celebrating and ushering in the new year, two young men in the village allegedly decided to do the opposite and embarked on a spree of stabbing and killing people for no apparent reason. The spree ended with one of the victims dead and more than 12 others nursing severe injuries.

The deceased has been identified as Mutshutshu Nemakanga (17), also of Tshikunda.

The incidents, in which the victims in most instances confirmed being accosted by two men wearing blue overalls, have left the community seething with anger. Instead of spending the day celebrating, the whole community came together and met at the local sports grounds. All the victims, some still in bandages, gave accounts of their ordeal at the hands of the two alleged thugs.

After the meeting, the angry community members marched off, chanting protest songs, to the local satellite police station, where cases were opened.

Reliving her ordeal at the hands of the two young men, Ms Lutendo Ndou (18), who suffered severe injuries after being stabbed in the stomach, hand and back, said she would never forget what happened on the fateful night. The girl from Tshikunda said she was going home in the company of her brother from a local restaurant after buying cool drinks at around 23:00.

“We had not gone very far from the café and my brother was walking behind me when the two men appeared from the dark and demanded a phone from me. I shouted to attract the attention of my brother, but one of the assailants, whom I recognized as a former school mate, stabbed me before they ran away. My brother ran after him and he was finally arrested,” she said.

She said her sister took her to the hospital, where she received treatment and was released. “These guys really spoiled my day. We had prepared to celebrate the New Year together as a family, but all that changed as we had to deal with the unusual situation. I just wish that they are all arrested and face the full might of the law; they must answer for their actions,” she said.

Community leader Cllr Mulalo Rammela called for calm and urged all to exercise maximum restraint, saying they should give the law enforcement agencies a chance. “This is a very sad incident, especially because it happened at a time when people were supposed to be celebrating. This is the first of its kind in our area. We have had isolated incidents in the past where people were mugged or even stabbed, but not in such numbers as we have witnessed in one night.”

Thohoyandou police spokesperson Const Avhafarei Tsiovhe confirmed that a murder case has been opened.