Thandolwethu Moyo
A wave of muggings is sweeping through the high density residential suburb of Emganwini in Bulawayo.
Over the past weeks unruly elements have targeted mostly women who would be coming from work after disembarking from transport taking them home.
The muggers use the method of stealthily surprise attack. They hit their victim with a brick or small boulder rendering them useless before depriving them of their belongings and at the same time shredding their clothes.
Residents are confused and are in a state of fear over this alarming rate at which these criminal activities are taking place as these muggings are taking place in the early hours of the evening when most residents are still moving about.
Last week Tuesday a woman in her 40s was waylaid and robbed a few metres away from her drop off point. She had disembarked from a Mshikashika, Honda Fit, at bustop popularly referred to as “Ungakhona”.
“I was rushing home after dropping off the bustop, I heard a woman screaming, I rushed to her and was the first to the scene. I found the woman still screaming and in tattered clothes.”
The good Samaritan assisted the woman to get back home and he became a victim of the same mondus oparundi mugging.
“As I headed home, I heard footsteps behind me. I thought it was just the another resident headed home. I turned to confirm it and was met with a brick on my face. I tried screaming, but the man place a hand on my mouth and pulled me to the side of the dust road, were he roughly searched me tearing my clothes. He managed to get away with my phone and $45 cash.” the victim narrated the ordeal on condition of anonymosity.
This is not the first time Emganwini Suburb has been under siege by such cases. One is reminded of the tradegy of a woman who was found dead in her bedroom after two weeks of a long search, the man who was stabbed to death with a broken bottle over beer, and the five men arrested recently in connection with a spate of robbery cases, but seemingly the muggings are on the increase.
Councilor for Ward 26, the area which Emganwini falls under, Clr. Mpumelelo Moyo expressed ignorance of the muggings when asked for a comment.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Provincial Spokesperson Inspector Abednigo Ncube confirmed the rise in such cases, and attributed it mainly to the new structural developments taking place in the Nkulumane-Rangermore-Emganwini area.
“Of late we are experiencing some robbery cases that are taking place in the Nkulumane area, particularly in Rangermore and Emganwini. Most of this is because of new developments that seek to join Woolendale and Rangemore and structures under construction”.
One elderly man urged residents to come together and contribute towards the security and safety of the community.
“Residents must come together and form Neighborhood watch committees. These can deter such and many more crimes.”
Another resident expressed that females are the ones who are mostly targeted since they are low risk victims. She said,
“It’s no longer safe for us as women. These lowlife criminals target us women because they know that chances are low that we will fight back.”
Inspector Adbednigo Ncube emphasized that they are making progress as they have made 4 arrests in connection with unlawful entry to property.
In the meantime residents of Emganwini are urged to be vigilant, come together in fighting this scourge inflicting their area.
Zim GBC News©2024