Door-to-door visits to
MBABANE - Residents of Ehhini Royal Kraal have embarked on door-to-door visits in order to get hold of all gangsters operating in the area.
Ehhini is a congested area situated in the eastern side of Malagwane Hill. The door-to-door visits have been confirmed by Indvuna Jabulani Dvuba in an interview last Friday.
Dvuba said the exercise was as a result of a unanimous decision taken by the residents during a meeting, which was held a fortnight ago.
He said the purpose of the exercise was to eradicate gangstersism, which the residents believed had perpetuated crimes such as car theft, robbery and housebreaking in the area and across the country.
Discovered
He said the residents had discovered that the stolen cars were used to commit crimes not only at Ehhini, but across the country. He made an example about a recent incident, where a navy blue BMW was forcefully taken from its owner and used in the commission of a crime before it was abandoned around Matsamo. He shared that the motor vehicle was stolen from a resident of the area.
“The BMW owner was hacked three times before his car was forcefully taken away from him. The residents said they could not allow this to happen to any of them anymore. They were of the view that the best way was to join hands with the community police members in the fight against crime, which was linked to gangsterism.
Asked what informed the decision, Dvuba stated that the residents registered their concern over the increasing crime perpetuated by ganstersim in the area. He said the situation was so bad that the gangsters had demarcated territories through which they operated.
“The residents asked how boys can demarcate territories at which they will commit crimes. They asked who wanted to be robbed or have his/her hard earned properties forcefully taken way from him/her,” Dvuba said.
He said the residents were angered by the fact that security guards were hacked and injured during the commission of the offences. Dvuba made an example of security guards whom he said were hacked with bush knives before all stock was taken from the shops in the area recently.
Dvuba stated that shop owners were compelled to close their businesses as early as 4pm in fear of gun-carrying gangs, who robbed them at anytime of the day.
He shared that the residents resolved to embark on the door-to-door visits, in order to get hold of all the gang members. Dvuba stated that the residents deemed it appropriate to bring the suspects to the royal kraal for punishment.
He shared that the residents managed to get one gang member, who then gave them names of his colleagues.
Confided
He stated that the gang member and his friends confided to the residents that they were members of the notorious‘26’ gang during the heat of the punishment. He mentioned that the gang member’s friends were also brought to the royal kraal for punishment.
The punishment was that of a thorough beating with a cane.
Dvuba stated that the sad part was