Criminals in Thohoyandou and Sibasa have intensified their onslaught on businesses and homes mostly owned by Indians. In the period from May 2008 to date, more than 20 people and households have become the target of robberies that have left one person dead and some critically injured.

The latest incident happened at Thohoyadou Block F last Saturday evening, when an old woman was shot in the leg and seriously injured before the robbers ransacked the house and left with an undisclosed amount of cash and a cell phone. This has caused anger amongst community members who are now threatening to take the law into their own hands as a way of solving the problem.

Community leader and well-known businessperson Abdullah Patel said the onslaught started way back in May, since then, more than 20 serious crimes, which included armed robberies, muggings and murder, have been committed against his community. “This is just an approximate number. We have lost count of the crimes against our people and we are appealing for assistance as a matter of urgency,” he said.

Patel said their homes were under siege and they no longer felt safe at all as the criminals waited for them at night at their homes. “We can no longer sleep in peace as our homes have been turned into havens for criminals who are always on the hunt for cash. Our lives are in danger,” he said. Patel said people were blaming them for keeping cash in their houses and not taking it to the bank, which is attracting thugs.

“We own businesses in the rural areas and not only in towns. When we come back from the villages, all the banks are closed and one is forced to sleep with the cash overnight. This is causing a lot of untold misery in our community,” added Patel. “Here we are talking of thousands of rands that were to be used for supplies. How do you expect us to pay our employees and our suppliers? We will soon be out of business. Our people are losing their patience and it is just a matter of time before they take the law into their own hands. Not long ago I had to discourage them from marching to the local police, and they also wanted to meet the MEC for Safety, Mr Ratshivhanda Ndou, personally,” he said.

He added that community members had proposed that a helicopter be on standby to help victims of crimes, because the criminals use cars to flee the scene. Some of the suspects are well known in the community and it could be easy to track them after committing crime. “People are tired of crime and something should be done to address the problem,” he said. He called for continued patrols by police and security companies who were doing a good job.  

One of the latest victims, Shaband Kazi (30) of Block F in Thohoyandou, said she loved this country as it offered more business opportunities, but since the incident she is thinking of emigrating back home. “People are not safe in South Africa. The country is under siege and the control of criminals,” she said.

According to her, she was busy preparing food for the family on Saturday in the kitchen, when somebody tried to open the door. “I thought they were my children who were playing in the next room and I opened for them, only to be met by men holding guns,” she said. She said they demanded cash from the family and all were held captive while one of the thugs ransacked the house for cash and other valuables. They left with an undisclosed amount of money but not before shooting the granny of the house in the foot and seriously injuring her. Shaband suffered neck injuries after a gold necklace was forcefully removed from her neck.

The granny is receiving treatment at an unspecified hospital in Polokwane. Shaband said South Africa is a complete opposite of her own hometown in India, where one could sleep outside and there are some places where you could also leave your business open and no one will steal from you.

Meanwhile, well-known academic and businessman Dr Nkhelebeni Phaswana suffered the same fate, when he was robbed of more than R70 000 in cash while relaxing with his friends. According to information from the police, Phaswana withdrew a large amount of cash from the bank and was with friends at his garage at Sibasa when thugs appeared and demanded cash, whereupon they were given R10 000. The victim was ordered to lie down and searched whereupon keys to his car were taken and the robbers took more money from the car. The other victims were also relieved of their cell phones before the thugs fled the scene.

A Sibasa-based Chinese businessperson is said to have been robbed three times and also seriously injured in the space of a month.

Captain Kobus Grobler of BVS Security Company, which patrols most of Thohoyandou and Sibasa, said the modern criminal has become very sophisticated. “They are well educated. They do their own research before striking their target, and they know exactly what they want from their victim.” Grobler said they were doing all they could as a company to help fight crime in the area, with a 24-hour visible patrol. He said it was up to the community to work together with the police and security companies and help fight crime.  “Crime is not a one-man show. It needs commitment from all stakeholders and criminals will not have any place to hide”, he said.

Limpopo police spokesperson in Vhembe, Captain Mashudu Malelo said police were doing all they can to fight crime. “We have embarked on aggressive campaigns to halt these criminals and we are on the verge of capturing them,” he said. Malelo said criminals reside in the community and it is the same community that could expose them and they will have no place to hide. Malelo confirmed the two latest incidents and said robbery charges were being investigated.

 “We again urge members of our community to help us in solving these crimes. Please furnish us with any information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators,” added Malelo.