Killed suspects hacked textile workers for bad food - nurse
MBABANE – The men who were tortured and killed at Nkonka for allegedly terrorising the community are said to have hacked textile workers for cooking bad food.
A nurse who is based at Matsanjeni Health Centre highlighted glimpses of the reign of terror that community members of Nkonka in the Shiselweni Region suffered at the hands of the suspected robbers.
The nurse, Nsetselelo Nxumalo (32) of Nkonka, is one of the accused persons in the murder of the suspected robbers and arson committed at the homesteads of some of them.
Nxumalo is among eight men who are alleged to have killed Fanele Shabangu, Mfanawenkhosi Mhlanga, Sikhanyiso Mngometulu and Bonginkosi Sdudla Shiba.
Killed
The quartet was killed by a mob on January 19, 2023 at Nkonka under Matsanjeni.
In his application for bail, Nxumalo told the court that they were arrested by Lavumisa police on February 16, 2023. They were charged with four counts of murder and two of arson.
He submitted that the community of Matsanjeni was experiencing a lot of criminal activities, in particular break-ins and robberies. Nxumalo stated that at first, grocery shops were targeted and the suspects would break burglar doors and took everything inside the shops.
The nurse said the criminals even went to the extent of going to residences of grocery shop owners and ordered them to go to the grocery shops with them at night, open the shop and take whatever they wanted. He also said they hacked the shop owners with bush knives if they did not have money.
Nxumalo operated a drinking spot in the area and his shop was broken into. He alleged that Khetha
Phakathi and Malibongwe Mhlanga threatened to kill his shopkeeper.
The accused narrated that on January 20, 2023, a group of five suspects committed five housebreaking and theft offences in one night.
“They went to the homestead of one Qedusizi Ndlovu and fired two shots and demanded money as he also owns a shop in the area. They got away with about seven cellphones. Ndlovu’s wife was able to identify Sidudla Shiba, Fanele Shabangu and Gazi Mngomezulu. Two others were standing outside.
“From Ndlovu’s home, along the way, they robbed one Sanele Mamba of the shoes he was wearing and a cellphone. He was together with Ndabenhle, who was also robbed.
“After that they crossed the road from Ndlovu’s home towards the borderline and broke into a Ndlangamandla homestead. They demanded money at gunpoint as the Ndlangamandla family runs a shebeen. There was no money available and they hacked Ndlangamandla in the back with a bush knife. Gogo Ndlangamandla was able to identify Sidudla Shiba,” alleged Nxumalo.
The accused told the court that on the same night, the suspects moved to a Khumalo homestead, which is also very close to the borderline. He submitted that they broke into a number of houses and robbed the family of money and cellphones.
In the morning, according to Nxumalo, wallets and documents belonging to the members of the Khumalo family were found along the borderline, an indication that they had crossed to the Republic of South Africa.
Flats
Nxumalo informed the court that on or around January 27, 2023, at around 12:30am, Khetha and Malibongwe broke into the rented flats of women employed at the factories in Lavumisa.
“They went from house to house demanding money, cellphones, groceries and other valuables. They would dish for themselves food that had been prepared by the women and hacked whoever they felt did not prepare the best food and did not have any money or valuables to give them.
“They broke into about seven houses in the same compound and they did not cover their faces. They would mention their names and even turn on the cellphone torch so they could be identified. They also informed the women that the police would not do anything to them because they feared them,” he narrated.
Demanded
Nxumalo continued to say: “From there, they moved to Mdu’s shebeen where they broke the door, got in and demanded money, cellphones and alcohol. Mdu ran out of his house naked to his neighbour, Dube’s flat.
“They followed him and broke down Dube’s door and hacked him with a bush knife in the forehead and cut off one of his fingers with a bush knife and demanded money and cellphones. They also ate the food he had prepared.”
Dube is an employee of Matsanjeni
Health Centre, where Nxumalo is a nurse. Dube, according to Nxumalo, ran out of his house and he rushed him to hospital.
Nxumalo said in the morning they learnt that the suspects were also at one Stanley Mduna’s homestead at 11pm, where they took money from community members who were enjoying alcoholic beverages there.
“They took about three cellphones and hacked one of my co-accused with a bush knife on his leg. They were slicing the veins on his foot so that he could never walk again. To date, he is in bandages and cannot walk properly while incarcerated.”
On the day of the incident, said Nxumalo, he receive information that community members, in particular, business owners, were meeting at the sports ground to discuss the increasing crime rate in the area.
Meeting
He said about 500 people attended the meeting. Nxumalo said most of the residents had bandages on their heads, arms and faces as a result of the attacks by the gang.
The aim of the meeting was to find a solution to the problem faced by the community. The nurse said they were supposed to march to the police station and deliver a petition of their grievances after the meeting.
However, he told the court, the meeting quickly got out of hand as most of the youth were intoxicated from drinking marula brew and they wanted to go and round up the criminals and take them to the police station.
Suspects
About five cars, according to Nxumalo, left the sports ground, including his, Mlungisi Ndlovu, Fondololo Mabuza (who is now out on bail), and others to look for the suspects.
The residents managed to round up four of the suspects and they were assaulted and killed. Some of them, including their homesteads, were set on fire. Eight residents were arrested and only Mabuza was granted bail. Judge Mzwandile Fakudze will hear Nxumalo’s bail application today. Nxumalo is represented by Lindokuhle Shongwe of Mabila Attorneys.