Community wants to reclaim streets
THERE were emotional scenes at NY 78 in Gugulethu yesterday as grieving families of the massacre gathered at the house where their loved ones were murdered a week ago.
The families and friends of the eight victims: Lumka Hlotywa, Thobekile Yawa, Mzikayise Mngeni, Xola Hayiya, Dumisani Nongwana, Phindiwe Yawa, Zama Mabusela and Lindelwa Mafuya gathered at the house to conduct a ritual ceremony called “spirit collection”.
Chief Bishop Zolile Feni, representing the Nongwana family, said he was praying for the police to do their job thoroughly, and not to be selective in terms of the cases reported to them.
Feni said they gathered at the house to also give spiritual counselling and said they had lost hope in the police.
“All they (police) know is that they are investigating. There is nothing else they do apart from telling people who reported their cases that they are still investigating,” Feni said.
Thobekile and Phindiwe’s mother, Thozama Yawa said the most difficult part for her was to see Phindiwe’s children. “They are so young that they do not even understand the situation.”
Thozama said she would make sure that she keeps all the videos and information distributed about that incident to teach her grandchildren.
Gugulethu Development Forum chairperson Vincent Domingo said their streets were no longer safe, their communities have been held to ransom by criminals. “It is time that our people take a stand, we have to be united, speak with one voice. Let’s reclaim our streets and stop living in fear.”
Igunya Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) federation chairperson Thembinkosi Mjuza, said there seemed to be more of these shootings in their townships, and that their NHW needed more resources and budget to deal with such.
Mjuza said their federation comprised about 12 NHWs in townships.
“We have also planned a safety festive imbizo, because we have noted that people who commit crimes in our townships come from here, unlike other communities,” said Mjuza.