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PIGG’S PEAK – Lunyazi is back!

This is a local police unit tasked with tackling night crimes within the Pigg’s Peak town centre. The unit was led by Constable Prince Dlamini and it was disbanded some years ago, after the officer was transferred to Tshaneni Police Station.

Apart from watching out for criminals who operate during the night, this unit, exclusive to Pigg’s Peak, was famous for cracking down on sex workers who had mushroomed in the town. Pigg’s Peak Police Station Commander Dumisani Nzalo confirmed that they were working on soon reinstating Lunyazi.

“Yes, it is true that we are working on reinstating Lunyazi. Crime has become rife in this town. We have witnessed non-stop stabbing of people and we have realised that a lot of the culprits migrate from the rural outskirts of the town,” he said. The station commander also indicated that the widespread liquor outlets within the city acted as a catalyst of the escalation on criminal activity.

Patrols

“What we are actually trying out these days is our visibility within the town. Intensifying patrols is key to what we want to achieve,” said Nzalo.

Not too long ago, members of the public were calling for the reinstatement of Lunyazi. The unit, according to some of the residents of the area, ensured that people were not carrying knives even on the streets.

One member of the public, who did not want to be identified, said Lunyazi was very effective as they also ensured that bars closed at the stipulated time and that made sure that no person loitered in the streets after the bars had been closed.

He said after bar owners were allowed to operate following the lifting of COVID-19 lockdowns, there was an increase in crimes of stabbing. He said people were no longer afraid to carry knives inside bars and that sometimes they left the knives in their vehicles. “Once they start fighting, they rush to their vehicles to fetch their weapons,” he said.

In a recent incident involving gang-related fights which ensued from drinking spots, some bar owners are reported to have said the King’s Pardon on criminals was being misused. They said most of the members of the terror gangs were ex-convicts who had been freed earlier than their sentences stipulated.

Pardon

They said a majority of people who benefitted from the King’s Pardon were hard-core criminals, who were given sentences without fines. “They can’t pay their way out of the prison so they wait for the King’s mercy,” one said. He added that it was possible that some of the inmates did not complete their terms in prison and that this meant that they had not fully been rehabilitated. “These are criminals who are supposed to be behind bars,” a resident said.

In addition, police officers in Pigg’s Peak have been constantly patrolling the town, usually in groups of two or three all day long of late. They are usually armed with firearms and most are clad in bullet proof vests. One police officer, who was interviewed briefly highlighted that one of the reasons for the strengthening of security was to guard against attacks directed to law enforcers by some people who usually claim that they wanted political reforms.